In what could be interpreted as the biggest political blow to the Congress in West Bengal, since the split in 1998 when Trinamool Congress (TMC) was formed, former State president of the party Manas Bhunia left the party to join the TMC on Monday. Former Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and five time MLA Md. Sohrab also left the party to join the TMC.
Three other leaders, Khalid Ebadullah, Manoj Pandey and Asit Majumdar, and several other minor leaders and cadres also left the party to join the TMC in presence of senior TMC leaders.
Mr. Bhunia, seven time MLA of the Congress from Sabang in Paschim (West) Medinipur district, said that he has the left the Congress of “useless leaders” to join the “real Congress of Mamata Banerjee.”
“This Congress of useless leaders like Adhir [State president] and Mannan [Opposition leader] is not the real Congress, but Mamata Banerjee’s party is the real Congress and I am joining the real Congress of Mamata Banerjee. She will be my leader and I will obey her,” he said.
In his initial reaction, general secretary of the Pradesh Congress Omprakash Mishra said that Mr Bhunia “must tender his resignation from the Congress as well as relinquish his Assembly seat” immediately. He demanded fresh election to the Sabang seat.
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