CPM MP joins Trinamool, gets expelled
CPM’s Burdwan district secretariat on Thursday expelled the sitting party MP from Katwa, Abu Ayesh Mandal, after he revolted against the leadership for not getting nomination to contest the Lok Sabha elections.
By ET Bureau |
KOLKATA: CPM���s Burdwan district secretariat on Thursday expelled the sitting party MP from Katwa, Abu Ayesh Mandal, after he revolted against the leadership for not getting nomination to contest the Lok Sabha elections.
A senior CPM leader said on Thursday that the Burdwan district leadership had expelled Mondal after consulting the state CPM leadership. Mr Mandal, however, met Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee at her south Kolkata residence on Thursday afternoon and joined the party.
Interestingly, Ms Mamata did not give a party ticket to Mr Mandal for the coming Lok Sabha elections, but offered him a berth in her party. Mr Mandal alleged that the CPM leadership did not consult him before taking the decision of not giving him nomination. ���We welcome Mr Mandal in our party. He will work for our organisation,��� Ms Mamata told reporters.
Mr Mandal���s sudden decision, however, surprised many CPM leaders. He was elected to the state assembly from the Manteswar for the first time in 1991. He was the MLA till 2001 and fought the parliamentary elections in 2004 from Katwa Lok Sabha sea and won. The Katwa Lok Sabha does not exist now after the delimitation of all the 42 Lok Sabha and 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal. Mr Mandal was not given ticket to contest any alternative seat. This probably infuriated him.
There are at least half a dozen sitting CPM MPs who have been dropped this time. But none of them have left the CPM to join Trinamool Congress. The CPM did not renew nominations of its sitting MP from Arambagh, Anil Bose, after the seat was reserved for ST candidates. Sunil Khan, the sitting CPM MP from Durgapur Lok Sabha, also did not get a nomination this time as the parliamentary seat does not exist after the delimitation. But none of these MPs have left the CPM to join their arch rival Trinamool Congress.
Mr Mandal���s act is an eye opener to the CPM leadership, which is now keeping a close watch on some of its MPs who have been denied party tickets this time.
A senior CPM leader said on Thursday that the Burdwan district leadership had expelled Mondal after consulting the state CPM leadership. Mr Mandal, however, met Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee at her south Kolkata residence on Thursday afternoon and joined the party.
Interestingly, Ms Mamata did not give a party ticket to Mr Mandal for the coming Lok Sabha elections, but offered him a berth in her party. Mr Mandal alleged that the CPM leadership did not consult him before taking the decision of not giving him nomination. ���We welcome Mr Mandal in our party. He will work for our organisation,��� Ms Mamata told reporters.
Mr Mandal���s sudden decision, however, surprised many CPM leaders. He was elected to the state assembly from the Manteswar for the first time in 1991. He was the MLA till 2001 and fought the parliamentary elections in 2004 from Katwa Lok Sabha sea and won. The Katwa Lok Sabha does not exist now after the delimitation of all the 42 Lok Sabha and 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal. Mr Mandal was not given ticket to contest any alternative seat. This probably infuriated him.
There are at least half a dozen sitting CPM MPs who have been dropped this time. But none of them have left the CPM to join Trinamool Congress. The CPM did not renew nominations of its sitting MP from Arambagh, Anil Bose, after the seat was reserved for ST candidates. Sunil Khan, the sitting CPM MP from Durgapur Lok Sabha, also did not get a nomination this time as the parliamentary seat does not exist after the delimitation. But none of these MPs have left the CPM to join their arch rival Trinamool Congress.
Mr Mandal���s act is an eye opener to the CPM leadership, which is now keeping a close watch on some of its MPs who have been denied party tickets this time.
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