Trinamool leader thanks Union minister for 'sweets', BJP says he gatecrashed

BJP issued a statement claiming Kunal Ghosh gatecrashed the informal dinner party of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan. TMC leader thanked for ‘compliments and sweets’.

Published on: Jul 28, 2022, 06:58:03 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Poulomi Ghosh

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Amid the TMC, BJP war of words over the recruitment scam that has been unearthed in West Bengal with the recovery of crores of rupees stashed, a fresh row broke out over a purported meeting between Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Trinamool national spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. The BJP issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying that there was no meeting and Ghosh had 'gatecrashed'. Also Read: 38 Trinamool Congress MLAs are in touch with BJP, claims Mithun Chakraborty

When Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently visited Kolkata, Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh incidentally met him.

The purported meeting took place on July 23 when Dharmendra Pradhan visited Kolkata. "The BJP wishes to set the record straight that there was no such meeting planned or intended. Mr Ghosh gatecrashed at our karyakartas home in Manicktala Assembly where Shri Dharmendra Pradhan had gone for an organisational meeting followed by dinner," the statement issued by the BJP said.

"Kunal Ghosh happens to live in the same building as our karyakarta. he wasn't invited or expected. There was no discussion except acknowledging that Mr Ghosh had landed there without intimation and was exuding familiarity given that he had been Shri Pradhan's colleague in the Rajya Sabha at some point. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan left soon after," the statement added.

Kunal Ghosh countered the statement and termed BJP's reaction as 'shaky'. In his clarification tweet, he also mentioned that Dharmendra Pradhan offered him 'nice compliments and sweets'. "I didn't use my ex-MP identity. He told BJP leaders about my speech in Parliament. Now I am enjoying the shaky reactions of BJP. That proves lack of confidence among themselves. Really it's too funny," Ghosh tweeted acknowledging that the meeting was 'incidental' as it was the same building.

The exchange took place as actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty on Wednesday claimed 38 TMC MLAs are in touch with the BJP. "At this moment, 38 TMC MLAs are having very good relations with us. Out of them, 21 are directly in touch with me… When I was in Mumbai, I came across the news one fine morning that the Shiv Sena and the BJP had formed the government in Maharashtra. How do you know that same thing will not happen here in West Bengal," Mithun said.

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