WB minister and BJP MLA publicly spat the embarrassment of the party

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. File | Photo credit: PTI

The public spat between West Bengal Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee and MLA Piyush Kanoria has come as an embarrassment to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.

. The minister, who is also the MLA from Bidhannagar, got into a public spat with the BJP MLA from the neighboring Rajarhat-Newtown constituency, Piyush Kanoria, on Tuesday (September 22). The altercation was caught on camera, resulting in embarrassment for the party.

Sharadwat Mukherjee listened to the grievances of ward number 28 of South Dum Dum Municipality in his assembly area. While the minister was reading the complaints of the people of the area, Piyush Kanoria came and sat in front of the stage where the common people were sitting. “There is an MLA from the neighboring assembly Piyush Kanoria among us,” the minister said. Mr. Kanoria responded by saying that a minister cannot say that he is an MLA from a different constituency.

Allegations of extortion and embezzlement, which had been a hallmark of the Trinamool Congress regime, began to surface in the BJP regime as well. The complaint, read by the health minister on Tuesday, referred to similar allegations. Mr Mukherjee said most of the letters were anonymous, meaning the BJP government’s promise of “Bhoy out Bhorsa In (Fear out, Faith in)” was yet to be confirmed. Mr Kanoria said he is a resident of Dum Dum Park and the Minister made a mistake when he said he was from a neighboring constituency.

BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya tried to downplay the development and said that while Sharadwat Mukherjee remains a minister, Piyush Kanoria is an old and dedicated BJP worker.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari asked the ministers in his cabinet to focus on their work and avoid any controversy.

Two Suvendu Adhikari Cabinet Ministers – Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul and Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee were seen actively visiting streets and hospitals. Mrs. Paul was often seen trying to clean sidewalks and footpaths, sometimes arguing with sidewalk dwellers and vegetable vendors. She was also seen with a microphone in her hand spreading awareness about road traffic.

Published – 24 Sep 2026 04:00 IST