Desertion in Congress due to Lok Sabha poll results: Adhir Chowdhury

KOLKATA: In the wake of party MLAs, leaders and workers regularly deserting the party, state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury today said the trend is due to the party's performance in the Lok Sabha elections.

" Desertion of Congress leaders and workers from the state unit is a fallout of the results of the Congress party nationally. Just like all other political parties, there are people within the Congress too who are basically opportunist. The party is going through tough times, so many people are deserting it," said Chowdhury.

Chowdhury's comments came in the backdrop of a meeting of state Congress leader Manas Bhuniya and Somen Mitra with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the ongoing situation in the state unit where several leaders were switching over to Trinamool Congress and BJP on a regular basis.

"I don't know whether they had made any complaints against me or not. Every Congress leader can meet Sonia Gandhi, there can't be any issue over it. But it would have been better if they had met me first and informed me about their grievances," he said.

"I have never lobbied for the chair of state Congress president. When I was given the responsibility just before the polls in February, I had checked this trend of deserting the party. But due to our poor performance nationwide, this trend has again started," Chowdhury said adding, "If the party high command feels Manas Bhuniya is more eligible for the post of the party's state president, they can replace me."