M A I N   N E W S

Panja raises banner of revolt
Party rules out action against him

Kolkata, April 17
Former Union Minister of State for External Affairs Ajit Kumar Panja today raised a banner of revolt in the Trinamool Congress demanding “restoration of democracy” in the party and said the party chief, Ms Mamata Banerjee, had been “grabbed” by the CPM and the Congress.

Breaking his silence at a crowded press conference, Mr Panja said he was not consulted on various issues, including the withdrawal of support from the NDA.

Mr Panja, who skipped attending programmes of the Trinamool Congress, including Sunday’s meeting where the party kicked off its poll campaign, had fuelled speculation in political circles that he would quit the party.

Mr Panja, the state party Chairman, however, said he had no plan to leave the party. “If the party needs me, I am there”.

Referring to their resignation from the NDA government, the senior Trinamool Congress leader said it was decided that the party would provide outside support to the Vajpayee government. The TC would abstain only on the Tehelka issue. “But later I came to know of the decision to withdraw support to the NDA”.

He was not consulted, Mr Panja said, about the party’s manifesto for the coming Assembly poll in the state nor about the candidates’ list in a majority of the seats. “Even in the case of the Sealdah and Burtola seats which come under my parliamentary constituency, I was not consulted”.

He had “cautioned Ms Banerjee of the plan by the CPM and the Congress to grab her,” he said “but despite it the alliance between the Trinamool Congress and the Congress was formed”.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress today described as “unbecoming” the outburst of Mr Panja against Ms Banerjee, but ruled out any action against him.

“It is unbecoming of Mr Panja, who is our Chairman, to air his grievances in public which should have been discussed at our Executive Committee meeting. But we are not going to take any action against him”, Trinamool Congress spokesman Sudip Bandopadhyay, MP, said here. PTI