union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur has left all WhatsApp groups of the BJP's state unit, leading to speculation over him quitting the saffron party.
Shantanu Thakur, who quit all WhatsApp groups of the Bengal BJP, is learnt to have expressed his displeasure about the recent organisational reshuffle in the state BJP among his close quarters.
As per sources close to Thakur, the minister feels the Matua community and its leaders have been ignored by the BJP. In the recent reshuffle in Bengal BJP where MP Sukanta Majumder took charge from MP Dilip Ghosh, no big leader from the Matua community got a important post.
On Tuesday, five BJP MLAs -- Mukutmoni Adhikari, Subrata Thakur, Ambica Roy, Asok Kirtania and Asim Sarkar -- expressed their displeasure over their omission from the state party committee and left the WhatsApp group of BJP MLAs. They met Thakur at his residence in Bongaon. However, none have left the party so far. The leaders have asked for representation of the Matuas in state BJP's primary controlling unit.
This is not the first time the BJP MP from Bongaon has expressed his unhappiness with the party. He has spoken out several times last year over the delay in implementation of the CAA.
In a bid to placate Thakur, who is an influential Matua community leader, central BJP leaders like Kailash Vijayvargiya met him last year. Eventually, he was given a ministerial berth during the last Cabinet reshuffle by PM Modi.
The five disgruntled MLAs' openly showing their displeasure of no representation of the Matuas in the state unit's board room. Answering on speculations of leaving the saffron camp, the MLAs claimed that the next course of action will begin only when their demands of having representation will not be met.
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