TMC suspends 3 spokespersons for over 'anti-party' remarks after poll debacle

The action came days after the party issued show-cause notices to five spokespersons over comments critical of the leadership and the partys electoral strategy following the assembly election results, in which the BJP won 207 seats, while the TMC was reduced to 80 in the 294-member House.

The ruling TMC on Saturday suspended three of its spokespersons for six years over alleged anti-party remarks made following the party's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. According to a statement, spokespersons Kohinoor Majumdar, Riju Dutta and Kartik Ghosh were suspended for allegedly violating party discipline. The action came days after the party issued show-cause notices to five spokespersons over comments critical of the leadership and the party's electoral strategy following the assembly election results, in which the BJP won 207 seats, while the TMC was reduced to 80 in the 294-member House. The notices were issued by TMC MP Derek O'Brien, who is a member of the party's disciplinary committee. Besides the three suspended leaders, notices had also been served on Krishnendu Chowdhury and Papiya Ghosh. The party had sought explanations within 24 hours, asking why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them for ''breach of party discipline''. According to party leaders, some spokespersons had publicly questioned the leadership's functioning and campaign strategy after the electoral defeat. ''The remarks were made on social media as well as during media interactions,'' a senior party leader said. Majumdar had told reporters that party leaders often had to wait for hours to meet TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Chowdhury, a senior leader from Malda, had also criticised the Diamond Harbour MP's style of functioning. Dutta, meanwhile, drew attention after praising the BJP government's measures to curb post-poll violence in a social media post. O'Brien and Chandrima Bhattacharya, also a member of the disciplinary committee, declined to comment on the issue.