Saradha boss backed TMC in UP polls last year, says report

Kolkata, April 28:

chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) Sudipta Sen isn't just a

phenomenon. The man, although started his business in the eastern part of India, was aiming to gradually reach out to the Hindi heartland and other parts of the country as well, a

published in Bengali daily

said.

It has been alleged that Sen had invested money in last year's Uttar Pradesh elections and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had contested the election, was one of the beneficiary of Sen's efforts. It is said that the Saradha owner was particularly interested in TMC contesting the election and according to the report, the party had put up a grand election campaigning in the state despite having little organisation there.

According to the report, it was Sen who had backed the TMC's campaigning and even major parties like the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party could not match the TMC's electioneering grandeur. The TMC, which had contested in 20 seats, could not do much but Sen reportedly maintained his efforts to expand his business in UP to tap a larger market.

It is also said that Sen tried to get closer to SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav through a Rajya Sabha MP of the TMC though couldn't achieve much at the end. Sources said he shut the Saradha office, which was opened in Kanpur, just a few months ago.

The Saradha CMD had also poured money in elections in Himachal Pradesh, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh to make financial gains through allying with political power centres but couldn't succeed. His plans boomeranged and opportunist politicians pocketed huge money while Sen's business collapsed. The TMC had contested in 25 seats in Himachal Pradesh last year but couldn't win any seat.

The Saradha boss also eyed to expand his business in states like Odisha and Rajasthan. According to the report, Sen wanted to win confidence of some politicians of the ruling BJD and Congress governments in these states but there too, he couldn't make much progress.

The man had allegedly funded anti-Tarun Gogoi factions in Assam to topple the state government in the state, another report said.

The clean image of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has also been tainted by the massive scam.

OneIndia News