Infighting within TMC comes to fore

Infighting within the Trinamool Congress turned murky as party chief whip in Assembly Sovandeb Chattopadhyay rapped a section of leaders alleging that people with vested interests have formed a coterie around Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Speaking at an INTTUC rally here Chattopadhyay said: “When Mamata went to Junglemahal to protest against torture on women, I was with her. When she was at Nandigram I was with her. I am still with her and I will be with her till I get due respect. The party will decide if it wants me or not. I am not above the party.”

Chattopadhyay vented his ire against the party leadership after the party failed to condemn an incident at Calcutta University where he was attacked by a group of party cadres.

Taking a dig at the certain party leaders, Chattopadhyay said: “Our CM is intelligent. There is a circle of persons with vested interests surrounding her. She has realised it; she is warning against syndicate raj and promoter raj and collection of cut money.”   

Chattopadhyay, who is not in favour of leaving the party, said: “She is the only one in the state who can materialise the hopes and aspirations of the people. She is fighting against the CPM alone, and even the Congress does not have the strength to fight the CPM.”