Mamata

Calcutta, Jan. 23: Mamata Banerjee left her Kalighat home in a huff last evening and spent the night at the Trinamul Congress office after quarrelling with her brother Swapan over a blood donation camp he had organised using her name.

She left for Delhi from the party office this afternoon.

“Mamata stayed in the party office because she did not want Babun (the younger brother’s pet name) to organise the blood donation camp, 200 metres from her Kalighat house, using her name. She left in a huff last evening after a heated exchange of words with him,” said a Trinamul vice-president.

He said Mamata was embarrassed as Swapan had reportedly told people she would attend the blood donation camp this morning. “Mamata decided to opt out when she came to know that money was collected from Kalighat residents using her name,” the Trinamul leader said.

Swapan was not available for comment, but Kartik, another brother, confirmed that the blood donation camp was organised by Swapan.

A Trinamul general secretary said all 50 security staff, including 28 railway policemen, moved to the Topsia Road party office yesterday evening with Mamata.

“Didi had discouraged Babun from organising the blood donation camp. She thought it would ruin the family’s reputation (if money was collected using her name). She had also said that as a railway minister it would have been inappropriate for her to be part of the programme,” he added.

This is the second time Mamata has stormed out of home after a quarrel with Swapan. In October 2007, she left home after a fight with Kartik and Swapan. Then, too, they had used her name to strike some business deals.

Mamata stayed at the Trinamul office for over a week then. She even took mother Gayatri and her puppy, Laden, with her.

Trinamul refusal

No Trinamul leader will attend tomorrow’s Left Front meeting at the Shahid Minar ground to pay homage to Jyoti Basu, in keeping with instructions from Mamata.

Trinamul’s ally Congress will send a representative.