Former Bengal minister Rajib Banerjee likely to be expelled from BJP

Former West Bengal minister Rajib Banerjee's expulsion from the BJP seems only to be a matter of time, party sources said, in wake of the rebel leader's meeting with Trinamool Congress's national General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, at the latter's South Kolkata office on Saturday evening.

Rajib Banerjee, who switched from the Trinamool to join the BJP just before the Assembly polls, was cautioned twice for anti-party activities but that hardly made any effect.

"He has been given two show cause notices but he has not given an answer to even one of them even. So, it is expected that he is not willing to continue on with the party," a member of the BJP's disciplinary committee told IANS on condition of anonymity.

"He continues to be a member of the BJP and he holds secret meetings with opposition party leaders. This is equivalent to anti-party activities. So, we are now determined to take a major decision, which will be announced within a week or two," the member said.

So, before Banerjee can leave the saffron brigade, the party wants to expel him and accordingly, the details have been sent to the party high command in New Delhi. Now, the members of the disciplinary committee are just waiting for the green signal from them.

Banerjee was a minister in the previous Trinamool government, but quit to join the BJP and contested on behalf of the saffron party from Domjur Assembly seat, where he was the MLA before, but lost. Soon after his defeat, he became a rebel and started making anti-party statements or avoiding party meetings.