A BJP MLA in West Bengal's Bankura district, who had voiced reservations against the new district committee of the party, has now joined a small fast food stall trader in his locality by frying "chop", a popular delicacy in Bengal, saying he has been "inspired" by the words of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Ms Banerjee had in past exhorted the unemployed youth in the state to set up stalls of "chop".
Saying he had been inspired by the Trinamool supremo, Bankura MLA Niladri Jana told reporters on Sunday, "as I saw my colony's food kiosk owner frying chops made of potato and fish on Saturday afternoon, I instantly decided to join him. Being a cook it was not difficult for me to rustle up the skill and people started collecting at the spot. I enjoyed the experience and offered the savouries prepared by me free to everyone present." Asked for the reason, Mr Jana said "I was inspired by the words of the Chief Minister in past who had urged the youth to set up stalls selling chops. It doesn't cost much in terms of investment."
Mr Jana had in recent times quit from the WhatsApp groups of the district BJP and state MLAs and wrote to BJP national President JP Nadda voicing his opposition about the new district committee.
He, however, later said "there is no politics in my action. The ruling party did little to solve unemployment problem in state." Trinamool Congress spokesman Kunal Ghosh told reporters the BJP MLA might have been inspired by the words of the chief minister and that is welcome.
"We heard he is disgruntled about the way of functioning of BJP. If he is motivated by the words of Mamata Banerjee who always exhorts young people to set up ventures with little investments, that is welcome," Mr Ghosh said.
BJP state spokesman Samik Bhattacharya said "he (Jana) staged a symbolic protest against the CM's absurd and laughable claims in past that chop making industry can generate thousands of employment in West Bengal. He apparently took a dig at the Chief Minister by saying he had been inspired by her comments."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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