Buzz over Barla’s political future as TMC netas visit him

Jalpaiguri: Speculation over former Union minister John Barla's political future intensified after two Trinamool netas visited his residence on Monday. While Barla dismissed the buzz, Trinamool sources indicated they were not averse to inducting him.TMC's Dwipen Pramanik and Dulal Debnath went to Barla's house at Lakhipara tea estate in Jalpaiguri's Banarhat and spoke to him for over half hour.Barla had joined BJP in 2018 when Pramanik was the party's Jalpaiguri district president. Pramanik, who was denied a ticket in the 2021 assembly polls, joined TMC in 2023 and is now a state secretary.When contacted, Barla on Tuesday ruled out any possibility of joining Trinamool. Calling it a personal meeting, Barla said: "I share a very close relationship with Pramanik. He came to see me. There's no politics here."Alipurduar MP Manoj Tigga said: "Barla is a veteran politician and anyone can come to meet him. There is no reason to be suspicious if Trinamool netas see him.""However, he stays in Jalpaiguri, and it is not my constituency. I am not aware of his day-to-day political activities," he added.Pramanik said: "Barla is not participating in the election campaigns for the Madarihat bypolls. So there was no bar in meeting him. As for the rest, let time speak."In bypoll-bound Bengal, Madarihat is the only assembly constituency where BJP has a lead. It falls under Alipurduar Lok Sabha constituency, which saw its vote share decrease by nearly 5.5% in 2024.The former minister had earlier been critical of BJP's decision to not nominate him from Alipurduar this year. He had also attacked Tigga for "backstabbing" him after the party chose the latter as its candidate. It was only after a series of meetings that Barla was pacified but he never participated in the election campaigns and his involvement in party activities reduced over time.
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