Kolkata: CPI (M)’s three-member committee - formed to look into the complaints against Rajya Sabha party MP Ritabrata Bandyopadhyay - submitted its report to party secretariat on Wednesday.
The committee was headed by senior party MP Mohammed Salim. The matter will now be discussed in the next state committee meeting on August 7-8. It is not yet clear what action the party will take against Ritabrata.
Sources said that Ritabrata could be in trouble as former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee – who backed Ritabrata on many occasions – is yet to make any comment before the three-member committee on the issue.
“His silence could be seen as a trouble for Ritabrata. But it is too early to comment on the matter,” a party insider told News18.
Ritabarata is considered to be very close to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and he is the one who recommended Ritabrata’s name for the Rajya Sabha seat.
Over the years (after he became the MP in 2014), Ritabrata developed serious differences with the Left Front Chairman, Biman Bose.
On June 2, Ritabrata was suspended from the party for ‘leading a lavish life’ and for using expensive watches and electronic gadgets.
Then, a three-member inquiry committee, headed by Lok Sabha MP Mohammed Salim, was formed to look into the allegations. The other members of the committee are Madan Ghosh and Mridul De.
They were asked to submit a report, based on all the charges made against Ritabrata in the recent times on social media, within two months.
Ritabrata is the former General Secretary of the Students’ Federation of India. He was elected a Rajya Sabha member from West Bengal in February 2014. He has been accused of hackling West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra outside Niti Aayog office in New Delhi.
Opponents have often taken potshots at Bandyopadhyay on social media for his use of Apple watch, Mont Blanc pen and other expensive gadgets.
Sources said the party was also annoyed with Ritabrata for his meetings with Union Ministers of the ruling BJP and the representatives of big industrial houses in New Delhi. The party has asked for an explanation of his meetings.
On many occasions, Bose raised issues with senior party leaders, and Ritabrata was warned to maintain party decorum.
The party decided to show the door to Ritabrata when he abandoned CPI (M) Politburo member and Lok Sabha MP Mohammad Salim to face police's wrath at Left’s ‘Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan’ on May 22.
On the day, Ritabrata was seen actively participating in the party work but he is alleged to have disappeared when police resorted to lathi-charge to chase the party workers away.
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