The Samajwadi Party may not hold its national executive in Kolkata now, following growing differences between the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamul Congress over the presidential polls.
The Samajwadi national executive was scheduled to be held in Kolkata from July 10-12 but the event was quietly called off without assigning any official reason.
Party sources now admit that the national executive may now be held in a “friendly” state like Maharashtra or Uttarakhand.
Samajwadi spokesman Rajendra Choudhury confirmed that the venue of the national executive was yet undecided and that the final decision in this regard would be taken by the SP president after the presidential polls.
“The national executive will most likely be held in September or October because the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins in August which is also the month of Ramzan. As for the venue, we have received invitations and the party will opt for a place where arrangements do not seem to be a problem,” said a senior SP minister.
Kolkata, it may be recalled, has been a favourite choice of the Samajwadi Party for the national executive meetings. Earlier, Mr Amar Singh made all arrangements for the event and this time, it was SP MP Kironmoy Nanda who had been entrusted the responsibility of the same.
“The national executive was all set to be held in Kolkata when the Trinamul Congress and the SP went separate ways on the choice of the presidential candidate.
Though West Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee avoided making any statements against SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, it was more than evident that she was feeling let down by the veteran leader. Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav — who understood the situation — decided it would be best to call off his party event rather than risk any unpleasantness.
Moreover, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav now enjoys a warm relationship with the Congress while the Congress-TMC relationship is fraying at the ends.