Kolkata, Oct 31 (IANS): Hours after Rajib Banerjee's re-induction in the Trinamool Congress, there was strong resentment within the party with senior leaders like Kalyan Banerjee openly criticising the decision, saying that he failed to understand why a "top to bottom corrupt person like Rajib Banerjee was taken back".

Addressing the media on Sunday evening, Sreerampore MP Kalyan Banerjee said: "The top leadership of the party has decided to bring back Rajib Banerjee and I, as a common worker and the MP of the party, will have to accept the decision. In one of the election meetings in Domjur (in Howrah district where Rajib Banerjee was the BJP candidate), Mamata Di said that Rajib Banerjee has three/four flats in Gariahat (posh area in south Kolkata) and other places and he has investments in Dubai)."

Quoting from famous Bengali poet Sunil Gangopadhyay's "Keu Kotha Rakhe Na (Nobody kept his word)", the veteran Supreme Court lawyer said: "(Trinamool General Secretary) Abhishek Banerjee had said that anyone who hurt the sentiment of the common workers will not be taken back in the party. I am a common worker and I shall have to abide by the decisions taken by the party hierarchy."

"But I fail to understand why a person who is top to bottom corrupt will be taken back in the party. Being a Trinamool Congress and a MP I shall have to accept all the decisions taken by the top leadership of the party."

Rajib Banerjee, a former minister in West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's cabinet, had defected to the BJP in January this year. After rejoining the Trinamool, he said that it was his mistake to join the BJP, which according to him gave false promises to the people to gain political and electoral mileage.

"I apologise to Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee and all the people for joining the BJP. I am ashamed and feel guilty to join the BJP. Whatever responsibility the party (Trinamool) gives me, I with all sincerity perform the task," an emotionally charged Banerjee told the gathering.