In fresh troubles for Mamata Banerjee, rebel Trinamool MP Kakoli’s son Ghosh Dastidar has sent a legal notice to her and other TMC leaders over alleged statements alleging that he sought an MLA ticket from the party to fight the state assembly elections from Barasat Assembly constituency.
Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar, a psychiatrist by profession, sent the legal notice to Mamata Banerjee and other TMC leaders including Mahua Moitra, Kalyan Banerjee, Sugata Roy and Sonali Guha.
On Sunday morning, Badyanath accused TMC MP Mahua Moitra of “falsely claiming” that his mother, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, was “crying for an MLA ticket” for him.
He wrote in the post: “100% lies. Disagreements should be fought politically, not by dragging individuals and family members into the conflict. I reserve my legal rights.”
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The legal notice comes amid an internal crisis of the TMC, with Kakoli Ghosh leading a revolt among the party’s MPs in Parliament.
“IPAC reached out to Badyanath”
The notice has been categorized as a “cease and desist notice regarding false, defamatory and unwarranted references to Dr Badyanath Ghosh Dastidar”.
The document describes Badyanath as “a highly qualified psychiatrist who has undergone professional training and involvement at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, and Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London” and who “has a reputation for academic excellence, professional integrity and public respect.”
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The notice also said that it was insinuated on several occasions that Baidyanath had sought political nomination or a ticket from the Barasat Assembly constituency, and that after being denied the same, his mother led the rebellion among the TMC MPs.
Badyanath denied the allegations of seeking tickets and alleged that representatives of IPAC, the political consultancy firm that worked with the TMC, approached him and asked him to consider contesting from the Barasat Assembly constituency.
“As per my client’s instructions, Mr. Sohum Pal, who was then associated with Barasat District TMCP, contacted him on several occasions via WhatsApp and encouraged him to contest the elections,” the notice said.
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“Remove all false data”
The notice issued an ultimatum to those to whom it was directed, asking them to retract “all false, defamatory and misleading statements” in relation to the eggs and to issue a public clarification and apology within fifteen days of issuing the notice.
If the TMC leaders named in the notice fail to do so, Baidyanth may file civil, criminal and other legal proceedings against them “as may be available in law”, it added.
Mamata Banerjee and other TMC leaders who received the notice have not reacted to it yet.
