Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MLA and Minister Laxmi Ratan Shukla resigned from the West Bengal cabinet on Tuesday. Shukla’s quitting as minister comes days after several Trinamool Congress leaders joined the BJP.
Laxmi Ratan Shukla has also resigned from his post as the Trinamool Congress district president in Howrah. However, Shukla continues to be a TMC MLA.
The 39-year-old former batsman who joined politics in 2016 to contest on a Trinamool ticket from Howrah North seat wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today and said he wishes to quit politics and return to cricket once again.
Laxmi Ratan Shukla is a former Indian cricketer, he represented Bengal cricket team and he was also a player in the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils, and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
On the resignation Ms Banerjee said that “I have requested the governor to accept his resignation. Laxmi is a good boy, there is no misunderstanding.”
Few days back Home Minister Amit Shah had said, “Didi would be left alone by the time polls come.”
At the launch of the Trinamool’s election campaign last month, Ms Banerjee had said “leaders who have left the party at a critical time did so after profiting from the party’s success but failing to remain loyal.”
“We will stand with people and fight with them. That is our promise. Who is bigger than who in the party should not be the issue. After profiting from the party for 10 years, after profiting from being part of the government, to hobnob with this and that party… I will not tolerate such people,” Ms Banerjee had said.
Earlier, Political leader Suvendu Adhikari quit the Trinamool Congress and to joined BJP last month.