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West Bengal Congress suspends rebels, wants Trinamool to follow suit

KOLKATA: West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president Manas Bhunia suspended on Wednesday about a dozen members of the party who were planning to contest against the official candidates of the Congress and the Trinamool Congress and also asked its electoral ally to take disciplinary action against dissenters.

“It is possible that some party workers are dissatisfied over the terms on which the alliance was reached or the number of seats that were allotted to the Congress. But, individual opinion is not more important than that of the party,” Dr. Bhunia told journalists in Siliguri in Darjeeling district.

The action follows Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's repeated warnings that the candidates who did not withdraw their nominations could face suspension from the party for six years.

“I also appeal that decisive action be taken against those leaders of the Trinamool Congress, who have filed nominations to contest against the Congress candidate,” Dr. Bhunia added.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is over for the first two phases of the six-phase elections. The Congressmen, including members of the WBPCC, functionaries of the District Congress Committees and the Zilla Parishads, were suspended during the day.

Action against

other dissenters

Dr. Bhunia said that action would also be taken against other dissenters, who have filed their nominations and were either MLAs or members of the All India Congress Committee, but it was not within his discretionary powers to do so.

Shakeel Ahmed, Congress Working Committee leader in charge of West Bengal, who was also present, said that he would initiate disciplinary proceedings against these leaders.

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