Sovan Chatterjee and Baishakhi Banerjee were upset with the presence of BJP leader Shishir Bajoria
Former Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, his girlfriend and a political science professor Baishakhi Banerjee and Salt Lake Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta were to participate in a panel organised by a right wing NGO 'Bengal Thinks'. The discussion on "the interface of religion, spirituality and politics in today's Bengal" also featured a priest from Bharat Sevashram Sangha.
After quitting from Mamata Banerjee's cabinet in November last year, subsequently giving up the charge of Kolkata's Mayor due to a messy divorce, Sovan Chatterjee has not been active in politics.
Apparently, Mamata Banerjee was unhappy due to his disinterest in his work.
A few weeks ago there were speculations that either Mr Chatterjee or Baishakhi Banerjee could be given a BJP ticket from Diamond Harbour, but talks did not come to fruition.
On Sunday both turned up at the event. When Ms Banerjee was asked to speak, she said that she was shortchanged by the organisers. Both were upset with the presence of BJP leader Shishir Bajoria.
"I am indebted to the organisers but when I saw someone with a particular political affiliation I felt shortchanged, because the organisers did not tell me clearly that this was a political event. I was asked by the media for the last three days about participating in this event, innocently told them that this has no political colour. But I was wrong," Ms Banerjee said.
The duo staged a walkout.
The NGO Bengal Thinks reiterates they aren't a political organisation.
Meanwhile, there were talks of Salt Lake's mayor Sabyasachi Dutta weighing in on a BJP role. Talks of him joining BJP began since Mukul Roy dropped in for a Bengali breakfast at his residence. Sources say that he was offered a BJP ticket from Barasat but he has assured that he will be with the TMC. Mr Dutta, whose name was on the invite for the event chose to stay away from the event.
By staging walk out and skipping an event, the trio has shown their allegiance to Mamata Banerjee. Perhaps the talks of them joining the BJP will be over for now.