CPI(M) MLA defies party orders, joins Cong rally

Asking whether any disciplinary action would be taken against Bhattacharya, Sujan Chakraborty, leader of Left Front Legislature party said it was a departure from the instruction of the party and assured that he would speak to the MLA. Bhattacharya said he had joined “on his own”, adding: “I have been elected by the people and so I have joined the rally.”

Bhattacharya is one of the pro-alliance leaders and in several television talk shows he had openly spoken in favour of the alliance. But the situation changed after the CPI(M) Central Committee declared the alliance with Congress as not in consonance with its decision.

The Left Front partners forced Biman Bose, LF chairman not to invite Congress in any of its programmes.With this backdrop, political experts felt that CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Misra had once again given pro-alliance message to the party, flouting party’s Politburo and Central Committee. 

Though he was not present in the rally, he sent his representative to join it. The Politburo members would soon meet the state committee leaders to rectify its stand of having tie-up with Congress.

Adhir Chowdhury, WBPCC president said: “It is good that Bhattacharya had joined the rally but it would have been excellent had Surya Kanta Misra and Sujan Chakraborty joined it.”

The rally began at Ramlila Maidan off Entally and ended at Gandhi statue. Congress leaders including Somen Mitra, Abdul Mannan, Dipa Das Munshi, Om Prakash Misra blamed the state government for its failure to check price rise.They said movements would be called if the state government failed to stop price rise.