Not my brother: CM publicly disowns Babun after revolt
Times of India | 15 March 2024
Siliguri/Kolkata: CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday publicly disowned youngest brother Babun Banerjee after he rebelled against Trinamool Howrah Lok Sabha candidate ex-India footballer Prasun Banerjee and threatened to fight as an Independent against the official Trinamool nominee.
“I do not like greedy people,” the CM said, adding: “Forget there ever was any tie between us; there is nothing from today.People are free to choose and fight on their own wherever they want.”
She practised “manushtantra (politics with humans at the centre)” and not “parivartantra (politics promoting the family)”, Mamata emphasised. “I cannot tolerate a wrong. Not everything can be said in public; we sometimes cannot speak of the pain in our heart. But I am not in any dilemma over this. The party’s candidate is Prasun Banerjee. There are some who feel the urge to contest as councillors, MLAs, MPs whenever elections are near. I will end up doing parivartantra if everyone in my family starts asking for MP and MLA tickets. My only family is people,” she added.
The CM’s ire prompted Babun to immediately issue a 0.25-second post on Facebook: “As long as CM Mamata Banerjee is there, I will be with my leader.” He later told a TV channel that he was not going to contest as an Independent and he had heard what the CM had to say about him. “I accept everything she has said as her blessings,” he added.