Rahul discusses Bengal scene with state party leaders

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today held deliberations with party leaders from West Bengal on the strategy ahead amid the ongoing political slug fest between Trinamool Congress and BJP over the Saradha chit fund case.
At the AICC briefing here, party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed, previously the AICC-in-charge for West Bengal, reacted cautiously to the controversy saying that while there should be "no political vendetta" but "law should take its own course" in the matter.
The meeting chaired by Gandhi was attended among others by PCC chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, CLP leader Md Sohrab, former PCC chiefs Pradip Bhattacharya and Manas Bhunia and party's old guard Somen Mitra, who quit Trinamool Congress and rejoined Congress.

In the meeting, Gandhi asked them to focus on strengthening Congress and raise issues like an aggressive Opposition in the state, where the assembly polls are due in mid-2016.
At the AICC briefing, Ahmed said, "Congress' stand is clear. Law should take its own course. But at the same time one should not work with political vendetta."
On Mamata Banerjee maintaining that when TMC leader Madan Mitra can be arrested only because of a photograph he clicked with Saradha scam accused, the same treatment should also be given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had a photograph with the Sahara chief, the Congress leader termed it as a valid point.

"She has a valid point if it is only about a photo and there is no other corroborrative evidence (to link Mitra with the scam). Allegations are levelled about misusing CBI due to political reasons. Even against this government, allegations of CBI misuse have been levelled," he said.
Mamata had wondered whether being photographed with an offender was ground enough for arrest. "There are photographs of the Prime Minister with Sahara boss who is currently in jail. Will you arrest the PM?" she had asked.