One more Trinamool MLA resigns, the party loses three in a row

Kolkata: Another lawmaker has resigned from Mamata Banerjee's party in a continuing trend which has seen two biggies quitting.

Silbhadra Dutta from Barrackpore assembly constituency is the third lawmaker to resign in the past 24 hours.

His resignation letter to Trinamool supremo Banerjee said: "I am tendering my resignation as a member of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), as well as from all other positions held by me in the party and its associate organisations with immediate effect".

This comes a day after Trinamool Congress heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari resigned just hours before Jitendra Tiwari from the party.

According to sources, Dutta also replaced Banerjee's photo, hung on the wall of his office, with Swami Vivekananda.

He surrendered the car given by the state government. He said if the government wants it can withdraw his security cover as well.

Dutta said that he is thankful for all the opportunities that have been afforded to him. "I will always value my time spent spent as member of the party. Thus I request you to accept my resignation and oblige," he said.

Earlier in a twin blow to the state's ruling Trinamool Congress, former Nandigram lawmaker Suvendu Adhikari and Pandabeswar MLA Jitendra Tiwari resigned from the party's primary membership on Thursday.

Tiwari also resigned from the post of chairman of the administrative board of the Asansol Municipal Corporation.

He resigned from the post of Trinamool Congress' district president in West Burdwan on the same day. He had sent his resignation to Trinamool Congress state president Subrata Bakshi.

IANS report with edits