10 Congress, CPI(M) MLAs from Malda pledge not to quit parties

After taking an undertaking from Congress MLAs to prevent them joining the Trinamool Congress, the 10 Congress and CPI(M) MLAs from Malda has on Sunday pledged not to quit the parties.  

The MLAs of CPI(M) and Congress were felicitated in a programme organised at Malda Town Hall, where all the 10 MLAs stood side by side, formed a human chain and pledged that they will not leave the party in future. They have also pledged to work together to fight elections in future as well.

According to the political analysts, the MLAs were being found pledging not to quit the party because a fear factor is playing a major role among the senior Congress leaders. Though the senior Congress leaders on Sunday claimed that the MLAs had pledged of their own and there was no pressure on them. 

But there must be someone who had made them stand side by side to join hands and to make the promise of not quitting the party as if they were taking an oath.  

Trinamool Congress didn’t get a single seat out of twelve in Malda district. Two seats were bagged by CPI(M), eight by Congress, one each by the CPI(M)-Congress alliance backed Independent candidate and BJP.

Sabina Yasmin, the Congress MLA from Mothabari Assembly seat, didn’t turn up in the felicitation programme as her father was unwell. Apart from Yasmin, all CPI(M) and Congress MLAs including who fought as an Independent candidate were present in the programme.

The programme was also attended by the Congress MP Mausam Noor and CPI(M)’s district president Ambar Mitra. Many other Congress and CPI(M) leaders were also present in the programme. 

Noor later said: “The alliance has failed in other parts of the state and the reason behind it needs to be discussed. But it is successful in Malda district and thus all the MLAs have come forward to fight together. Today the MLAs have taken the oath out of their own wish.”       

It may be recalled that WBPCC president Adhir Chowdhury has taken an undertaking from the forty four Congress MLAs on stamp paper worth Rs 100 that they would not leave party nor say anything against it. The MLAs had to give in writing when they had assembled at Bidhan Bhavan on May 24.