Kolkata: The West Bengal unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday welcomed the expulsion of Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra from Lok Sabha in connection with the alleged "cash for query" matter.
Some of the state BJP leaders expressed rejoice over the development even as Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee expressed ire.
Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said Moitra's expulsion is a punishment for her controversial comments on Goddess Kali.
"(You are a) mere mortal, know your limitations... don't use slanderous words while referring to the Divine. You don't have the capacity to belittle Her, but Her Rage can Raze you completely," he posted on 'X'.
BJP Lok Sabha member and the party's former national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said that it was surprising that Trinamool Congress was making an issue out of the expulsion though the party did not stand by her at the initial stage.
BJP Lok Sabha member and the Union Minister of State for Education Subhash Sarkar said what Moitra has done is not proper for an elected Lok Sabha member.
"It is proved that one businessman has opened her Parliamentarian portal from various places like Delhi, Bengaluru and even Dubai. This is never acceptable," Sarkar said.
However, Moitra has received support from Trinamool Congress' arch-political rival, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
CPI-M central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said that Moitra was denied the "right to defence" which everyone has.
"The individual who first raised the allegation against Moitra was never questioned. There was no proper investigation into the matter," he said.
Chakraborty also criticised the Trinamool Congress over its "shifting stance" on the matter.
"First, the party leadership said that she will have to fight her own battle. The double standards of Trinamool Congress in the matter had in fact helped Moitra garner sympathy," Chakraborty said.
—IANS