The war of nerves between Congress party and and its MLA and Public Accounts Committee chairman Manans Bhunia continued today with the leader holding the first PAC meeting and the party threatening stern action against him.
While Bhunia accused the Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan of humiliating him and misleading the party, state PCC chief Adhir Chowdhury hinted that if he wants to stay in the party he has to abide by its decision.
The Congress has already asked Bhunia to resign the post and it boycotted the first PAC meeting today. Left MLAs too were absent citing personal reasons.
Congress MLAs, who had earlier signed a resolution appealing Bhunia to step down from the post of PAC chairman, today handed over a letter signed by 39 of them asking him to resign.
On his part, Bhunia after the meeting, appealed Congress MLAs to attend the meeting.
"I have got the letter of the Congress MLAs. I will individually reply to everyone. I have done no wrong. Mannan is deliberately misleading the party. I only consider Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as my leaders. If they ask for an explanation, I will explain them everything," Bhunia told reporters.
Reacting to Bhunia's charge, Mannan said, "I don't consider myself a big leader that I have to reply to every allegation. Let them say whatever they want to. Whatever I have done was under the instructions of leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi."
A senior Congress MLA, who did not wish to be named said, "If Manas Bhunia doesn't decide to step down, then stern action will be taken against him to set a precedence."
Chowdhury, who had earlier appealed Bhunia to step down, today said, "I think he wants to become a martyr. If he wants to become a martyr then it is his choice. We want him to stay in the party but if wants it too then he has to abide by party decisions."
Hinting at a tacit understanding between Bhunia and TMC, Chowdhury had on Saturday said the party MLAs have taken a resolution to urge him to resign the post.
