TMC 'Divides Goans On Religious Lines': 5 Leaders Quit Ahead Of Assembly Elections

Kishor Parwar, Komal Parwar, and Sujay Mallik are among the local leaders that have resigned from the party.

All India Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee. (Source: Getty Images)

New Delhi: Five core members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), including former Goa MLA Lavoo Mamledar, resigned from the party on Friday, accusing it of attempting to split the people of Goa along religious lines ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections.

Kishor Parwar, Komal Parwar, and Sujay Mallik are among the local leaders that have resigned from the party.

'We Thought That The AITC Is A Secular Party..': Resignation Letter Of 5 TMC Leaders

"We had thought that the AITC is a secular party but with deep regret, we would like to bring to your notice that AITC has tried to divide Goans on the basis of religion by aligning with Sudan Dhavalikar," the leaders said in their resignation letter addressed to the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) chief Mamata Banerjee.

"AITC move to polarise Hindu votes towards MGP and Catholic votes towards AITC is purely communal in nature. We do not want to continue with a party that is trying to divide Goans. We will not allow AITC and the company managing AITC Goa to break the secular fabric of the state and we shall protect it," the letter further reads.

'I Was Under Impression That TMC Wasn't A Communal Party': Lavoo Mamledar

In September last year, Lavoo Mamledar, a former Ponda MLA, joined TMC. He was one of the TMC's earliest local leaders in Goa.

Previously, the former Ponda MLA accused the Trinamool of making false promises during the Goa assembly election campaign.

"I was under the impression that TMC was not a communal party. But on December 5 alliance was declared between Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Trinamool Congress, I figured out that even TMC is communal," Mamledar was quoted by ANI in its report.

"TMC launched 'Laxmi Bhandar' scheme, promising Rs 500 per month to West Bengal women. But in Goa, they promised Rs 5000 per month, which is next to impossible. When a party feels defeated, they make false promises. I won't be a part of a party who fools people," he said.

TMC Campaign Ahead Of Goa Elections 2022

After former Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro joined Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC), the party began active campaigning for the 2018 elections. The TMC supremo paid a three-day visit to the coastal state earlier this month.

The Assembly elections in Goa are set to take place in early 2022.