The All India Trinamool Congress expelled MLAs Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee on Monday from the party's primary membership with immediate effect, citing alleged "anti-party activities".
The disciplinary action comes amid a deepening controversy over allegations that signatures of party legislators were forged on a resolution linked to the appointment of senior TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition.
The development triggered a fresh political confrontation, with Mamata Banerjee and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari trading barbs over the issue.
Addressing a press conference, Adhikari alleged that the Criminal Investigation Department had issued a notice to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the probe into the alleged forgery case. He asserted that the matter would be investigated under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
"Nobody who forged signatures will be spared," Adhikari said, claiming that neither the BJP nor the state government had any role in the CID's actions.
According to Adhikari, Saha and Banerjee informed the Assembly Secretariat that their signatures had been forged on a party resolution. He further claimed that several other TMC legislators were questioned during the investigation, with some allegedly stating that the signatures attributed to them were not genuine.
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Adhikari also alleged that the CID had summoned Abhishek Banerjee and sought production of the party's resolution book. Banerjee, through his legal representatives, has requested additional time to appear before investigators, citing health concerns. Abhishek Banerjee, meanwhile, has accused the BJP of pursuing a politically motivated campaign against the TMC.
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