Lakhs of Mukuls will protest if CBI arrests Roy: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today accused the BJP of pursuing political vendetta by "using" the CBI and said the party will hit the streets in protest if the investigating agency arrests Mukul Roy.

In wake of state minister Manjul Krishna Thakur joining the BJP, she said those who want to leave the party were free to go, but they should not back stab the party.

"Our leader (Mamata) has told us if they (CBI) arrest Mukul (Roy), lakhs of Mukuls will hit the streets in protest of the political vendetta that BJP is pursuing by using the CBI," a leader quoted the West Bengal chief minister as saying.

Mamata today held a closed door meeting with party leaders, which included chairmen, leaders, MLAs and MPs of those municipalities which would go to the polls this year.

"Our leader also said it has to be ensured that BJP losses its deposit in the Lok Sabha bypoll for Bongaon seat," the leader said.

The TMC leader also said Mamata entrusted state food supplies minister and party's North 24 Parganas district president to ensure a victory for the TMC candidate Mamata Bala Thakur from the Bongaon LS seat by a huge margin.

In a jolt to the Trinamool Congress ahead of the February 13 bye-elections, state minister Thakur yesterday quit the party, accusing it of functioning in a "whimsical" way, and joined the BJP.

After the meeting, Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee announced the name of Satyajit Biswas, a TMC youth leader of Nadia district, as the party's candidate for the Krishnaganj Assembly bye-election.