TMC rebellion, Centre vs Bengal govt: Top developments

On Friday afternoon, TMC leader Kabirul Islam resigned from the post of general secretary of the party's minority cell.

Earlier in the day, TMC MLA Silbhadra Datta had resigned from the party.

TMC MLA Jitendra Tiwari resigns as Asansol Municipal Corporation chief, days after accusing the West Bengal govt of depriving the industrial city of central funds. He has also resigned as the TMC president of Paschim Bardhaman district.

On Wednesday, TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari submitted his resignation as an MLA. He was the MLA of Nandigram constituency in Purba Medinipur district. He had resigned from the state cabinet last month.

West Bengal assembly speaker Biman Banerjee refused to accept Suvendu Adhikari's resignation.

"I have examined the letter and found that the date is not specified in it. I had not been informed that his (Suvendu Adhikari) resignation is voluntary and genuine. So it is not possible to accept it. I have asked him to appear before me on 21 December," said Banerjee. Adhikari had resigned on Thursday.

Banerjee added that he has not accepted Adhikari's resignation as it does not conform to the provisions of the Constitution and the rules of the House.

The ministry of home affairs provided 'Z' category security cover to former West Bengal minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Adhikari has been provided with the heightened category of security while he is based in West Bengal. The CRPF will man him with bullet-proof vehicles. However, when he is out of West Bengal, he will be provided Y-plus security cover by the CRPF

A video conference was held between Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and West Bengal's chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and Director General of Police Virendra on Friday evening.

The video conference was scheduled after a letter from home ministry asked the two Bengal officials to come to New Delhi for a meeting with the home secretary. Both the officials conveyed their inability to travel to the national capital.

On December 14, the chief secretary and the DGP were called by the home ministry after receiving a report on December 11 from the state governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on the law and order situation in the state.

The report was submitted a day after an attack on BJP national president J P Nadda's convoy by alleged TMC supporters when he was travelling to Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district from Kolkata.

A day after resigning as Asansol civic body chief and TMC district president, rebel party leader Jitendra Tiwari rejected rumours of joining the BJP. Slamming the ruling party for removing his security, Tiwari said that the government took the step as it did not realise his worth.

The Supreme Court granted interim protection to five BJP leaders, including Mukul Roy and MPs Kailash Vijayvargiya and Arjun Singh, in criminal cases lodged against them in West Bengal and directed the state police not to take any coercive action.

The bench sought response from the West Bengal government on five separate pleas filed by BJP leaders alleging foisting of criminal cases to deter them from political activities and said interim protection from coercive action will continue till the next date of hearing.

In the wake of resignations of TMC leaders, former TMC minister Madan Mitra said that the party is getting free from betrayers.

"Men may come, men may go, but party will always remain. They don't know what mistakes they are making. BJP is not a trustworthy party. They have destroyed everything," he said.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has called a party meeting on Friday. Every Friday, the chairperson meets leaders in batches.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit poll-bound West Bengal on a two-day trip from Saturday, with the political atmosphere in the state heating up amid speculations of Suvendu Adhikari joining the BJP by the weekend.