The ruling Trinamool Congress or TMC on Tuesday said that the resignation of Laxmi Ratan Shukla as West Bengal's minister of state for youth services and sports is unfortunate but it will not affect the party, while the BJP said that the former cricketer is welcome to join the party.
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Mr Shukla's resignation came months before the assembly election in the state and almost a fortnight after transport minister Suvendu Adhikari left the party and joined the BJP.
The Congress claimed that TMC is collapsing and party chief and state Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, has no remedy for it.
"Mamata Banerjee had given Shukla due respect and even made him a minister. He was inducted as part of our policy to give prominence to people from different walks of life. It is
unfortunate if he quit his post, but it won't affect the party," Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.
Describing Mr Shukla as a good party member, senior TMC MP Sougata Ray expressed hope that he will reconsider his decision.
BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said that if Mr Shukla wants to join his party, he is welcome.
"The Trinamool Congress has no political ideology, no direction. It was established on an anti-CPI(M) plank which is no longer relevant now. People at the grass-root level are aware that the TMC's days are numbered. Just wait for some more time," he told reporters.
Mr Bhattacharya did not comment on whether the party had been in touch with Mr Shukla.
BJP leader and Union minister Babul Supriyo urged Mr Shukla to leave the TMC and join the BJP.
State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Choudhury claimed the TMC is collapsing and Ms Banerjee does not know how to prevent it
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"We will not ask Shukla to join the party. But our door is open for those who want to be part of the Congress family, those who can't be with the BJP for ideological reasons," he said.
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