Hiran Chatterjee said he will continue to work for the people "as a loyal BJP worker" (File)
Actor-turned-MLA Hiran Chatterjee today followed the footsteps of Union Minister Shantanu Thakur and quit all WhatsApp groups of the BJP's state unit but asserted that he has no plans to quit the camp.
Hiran Chatterjee had joined the BJP about a year ago and won from the Kharagpur Sadar Assembly in the 2021 state elections.
In a major embarrassment to BJP, Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur, and a leader of the politically powerful Matua community, quit all WhatsApp groups of the party's state alleging under-representation of the backward Matua community in the recently formed state and district committees of the party. "It seems the state BJP leadership does not think that we (Matuas) have any important role within the organization," Mr Thakur told reporters on Tuesday.
"My decision was prompted by the realisation that my service is not required by the state BJP. Most decisions relating to programmes of the party in my constituency are taken without my knowledge."
He said the BJP's central leadership - party president JP Nadda and others were sympathetic to his situation and promised to take up the issue with the state unit, but "nothing has happened."
Hiran Chatterjee without naming Medinipur MP Dilip Ghosh, who is also the BJP national vice-president, said, "The Kharagpur district unit president who was the former state unit chief unilaterally takes all decisions regarding the programmes of the party unit when I am away from my constituency."
To questions on whether he has any plans to quit the party, the actor replied in the negative.
"No. I want to work under the leadership of Narendra Modi. I have been voted by the people of Kharagpur Sadar as a BJP candidate. I will work for the people of Kharagpur as a loyal BJP worker under the guidance of our central leaders," he said.
Contacted for his comments, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, "We have nothing to say on this matter."
The actor had voiced his reservation earlier, too, when his picture went missing from BJP hoardings put up in Kharagpur. Pictures of Dilip Ghosh, JP Nadda, and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari were seen in the hoardings.
"Don't know the reason behind the omission of my picture, but it doesn't matter. People of Kharagpur are with me," he had said.