I was expelled from TMC for thanking BJP: Riju Dutta!

Riju Dutta, who was expelled by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from West Bengal for six years, has claimed that the BJP helped him provide security when his family received threats after the assembly elections. For this he had publicly thanked BJP and for this reason disciplinary action was taken against him. He said that the party leadership considered it to be indiscipline and took action against him.

Riju Dutta claimed that Rs 50 lakh was demanded from him in exchange for giving him ticket in the assembly elections. Speaking to IANS, he said that TMC was being completely run by IPAC for the last six months. He alleged that IPAC had a big role in party organization and even ticket distribution.

Riju Dutta said, “I was told that my ticket was confirmed, but later I was asked for Rs 50 lakh. I did not have that much money. At night, my wife and mother had even removed their jewellery, but in the morning I returned it all. I said that we will not sell our jewelery for the ticket.”

He claimed that the demand for money was not made directly by the TMC leadership, but by people associated with IPAC. According to Riju Dutta, “IPAC had asked for money, not TMC. A person named Arjun called me and asked for money.”

Riju Dutta said that he worked for TMC with full dedication for 13 years. He told that he was active for the party in Nandigram for 27 days. At that time Suvendu Adhikari was the MLA there.

He alleged that after the change of power in West Bengal, an atmosphere of violence and threats was created. Riju Dutta said, “The same CPM goons who joined TMC in 2011 joined BJP in 2026. The same people were doing the riots, not the old BJP workers.”

Riju Dutta claimed that his mother and wife received threats after the election results. “My mother was called and told that her son would be beheaded and burnt alive. My wife, who has nothing to do with politics, was given rape threats,” he said.

He told that in this situation he contacted many senior BJP leaders. I called big leaders of BJP and they listened to me. He helped protect my family. I had just thanked BJP for this and because of this I was expelled from the party.

Responding to the suspension from TMC, Riju Dutta said that he does not consider it as a punishment but as a reward for his honesty and loyalty.

He said, “I will get that suspension letter framed in my house. Seeing it every morning will remind me of my loyalty and the work I have done for the party.” However, there has been no official response from TMC yet on Riju Dutta’s allegations.