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Navsad Siddiqui, ISF MLA from Bhangar, on Thursday said that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had threatened him and offered him money and a post in the government to join their party. Siddiqui’s allegations came soon after Congress MLA Byron Biswas, who was elected from Sagardighi in Murshidabad three months ago, joined the Trinamool.
“The whole process started from the day I took oath as MLA of the Vidhansabha. I was given a choice between a senior or ministerial position and crores of rupees. After I refused, they started threatening me. Worse, they put me in jail.” However, I did not submit,” Siddiqui remarked in an interaction with a news channel.
Siddiqui, whose nomination was supported by the Left and the Congress, was detained on 21 January at a protest in Kolkata where it was alleged that ISF supporters got into a physical altercation with the police. He was sentenced to 42 days in jail. The MLA was charged with major offenses including IPC 307 (attempt to murder) by law enforcement.
Even the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Biman Banerjee, said that he could not see the justification for keeping an MLA in custody in connection with the matter for so long. TMC has often been accused of promoting Bengali defectors. After 2021, Trinamool will have seven BJP MLAs and one Congressman. Every time allegations of coercion or use of money surfaced on Trinamool.
The Left and the ISF also supported Biswas, who was accused by the opposition of switching sides for financial gains. Many have held up Siddiqui as an example of “a true leader” who could not be bought or broken after his defection. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, state Congress chief and CPM leader Samik Lahiri on Thursday praised Siddiqui for his “courage”. Siddiqui was challenged to provide evidence by Trinamool Vice President Jai Prakash Majumdar and State Secretary Kunal Ghosh. Majumdar replied, “Let him tell the names of the leaders who approached him.”
Siddiqui said he would provide more information at the appropriate time. They said they are free to file a case against me.
