Former West Bengal Congress chief Manas Bhunia crosses over to Trinamool

Bhunia will continue to act as the Public Accounts Committee chairman post his switchover to Trinamool Congress

Putting to rest a month-long speculation, former West Bengal Pradesh Congress chief Manas Bhunia, finally joined the state's ruling party, the Trinamool Congress, after a prolonged scrimmage with the Congress leadership over his decision to continue as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman of the assembly which earned him the Congress' displeasure.
 

Earlier this month, Bhunia, while still in the shoes of the opposition Congress, had praised the state's chief minister Mamata Banerjee terming her as the "best chief minister in the country" stating that Banerjee is "delivering goods in the best possible way".

"I have joined the real Congress (Trinamool Congress) and left the (Pradesh) Congress which has become a ghost party after it joined hands with the CPI-M", Bhunia said alleging that the current Congress leadership in West Bengal is ruining the Congress' prospects in the state.

Back in 1998, Banerjee had dissented from the Congress leading to the foundation of Trinamool Congress.

"Congress strongholds like Murshidabad and Malda has collapsed and Congress workers feel threatened. They are now seeking protection from the Trinamool Congress which has always stood up to fight the communists", he added.

The former Congress leader who was a party-member for the past 46 years alleged that he was humiliated by the Congress and received physical assault threats which prompted him to move over to the Trinamool Congress.

After the assembly elections this year, Bhunia was heading the PAC as the chairman. The Congress leadership, however, felt that the post should go to CPI-M leader, Sujan Chakraborty. However, the assembly speaker, Biman Banerjee objected to the idea facilitating Bhunia to continue in the post.

It was at this juncture that tensions started developing within the Congress' leadership fold finally culminating in the Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Abdul Mannan to recommend his removal from Congress.

Bhunia will continue to act as the PAC chairman post his switchover to Trinamool Congress.