Cong to show-cause Bhunia

WBPCC will issue a show-cause notice on Manas Bhunia, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for flouting the party’s discipline. WBPCC president Adhir Chowdhury and Leader of Opposition Abdul Mannan met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and discussed the matter. Chowdhury said Gandhi had told him that no breach of discipline in the party would be tolerated.

Chowdhury, however, did not say when the show-cause letter would be sent to Bhunia. Chowdhury said AICC had sent the name of Sujan Chakraborty of CPI(M) for the PAC’s post.

AICC general secretary in charge of West Bengal CP Joshi had requested Bhunia to relinquish the post. Congress MLAs had also requested Bhunia to resign from the post. But Bhunia went ahead with his work as PAC chairman and has held its first meeting also in the Assembly.

When contacted, Bhunia said he would wait for the Congress’ decision. “Let them first sack me from the party and then I will decide my future course of action.”

Interestingly, Chowdhury did not say a word on the joining of party’s MLA from Bishnupur, Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya to Trinamool Congress on Thursday or joining of seven councillors of Kaliaganj municipality to TMC which has helped the party to establish its control over the civic body which is now under Congress’ control.

The rift between Chowdhury- Mannan with Bhunia started when Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay made Bhunia chairman of PAC on July 4. Earlier, Congress had given four names with Bhunia’s name appearing on the top of the list to the Speaker to select the PAC chairman. The chairman’s post is given to the principal Opposition party that is Congress with 44 MLAs. On July 4, Mannan sent the name of Sujan Chakraborty and requested the Speaker to make him the PAC chairman.

Chowdhury later told press that Chakraborty’s name was suggested by AICC. However, he did not then clarify how could AICC sent the name of a CPIM leader unless his name was submitted before WBPCC for consideration. He said that Surya Kanta Mishra, CPI(M) state secretary had requested him to give the PAC post to the party. Mishra, had denied this and said he did not make any such request. Chakraborty also denied to making any request to Mannan for the post.

Political experts said it was unfortunate that Chowdhury- Mannan were trying to settle their score with Bhunia who had initially opposed alliance with CPIM.