Kolkata, Jan 23 (IANS): Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday gave a clear signal to the party leadership that Anubrata Mondal, who is currently in judicial custody at Dellhi's Tihar Jail in connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling case, should be given his due respect in the party once he is released.

The Chief Minister reportedly gave this message at the party’s organisation meeting pertaining to Birbhum district, where Mondal was Trinamool Congress’s district chief for over a decade.

This was confirmed by actress-turned-politician and three-time Lok Sabha member from Birbhum constituency in the same district Satabdi Roy after emerging from the meeting.

"The Chief Minister insisted that no one should forget the contributions of Anubrata Mondal for the party. She has also expressed hope that he might be released from prison soon and once that happens he will be given the due respect in the party. The Chief Minister also said that the organizational network developed by him in the district should never be forgotten," Roy said.

Political observers feel that through this message, the Trinamool has indirectly tried to send a note of caution against the growing infighting within the party that started since the time Mondal was arrested in August 2022 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the cattle smuggling case.

In fact, party insiders said, Banerjee also reconstituted the core committee of the party in Birbhum district, including mainly the confidants of Mondal. Kajal Sheikh, a prominent anti-Mondal face in the party in Birbhum, has been dropped.