Dissident Trinamool Congress MP Somen Mitra sides with Congress

KOLKATA: Dissident Trinamool Congress MP Somen Mitra, who had hinted to leave the party in January, today sided with Congress saying that people of Bengal will support Congress looking at the present situation.

Mitra, who shared the dais with West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee President Pradip Bhattacharya at a programme here, said he was not leaving TMC for any gain.

"Otherwise I would not have shunned the TMC," Mitra said at the programme.

Mitra, however, did not say which party he will join in the event of his "quitting the TMC."

Mitra, who said allegations of corruption (against UPA government rpt UPA government) on various issues would not cut much ice in Lok Sabha polls, asserted, "People of Bengal will continue to support Congress looking at the present situation,"

The former WBPCC President had said in November at Bolpur that, "I am still an MP of Trinamool Congress. So I have already decided to leave but it will be effective only when I quit as an MP."