Cong leaders shaken & stirred

19 November 2011

tirthankar mitra/biswabrata goswami

KOLKATA/MIDNAPORE, 19 NOV: While the Congress rank and file has been stirred into action a day before a convention on panchayats in the city, a section of the party's senior leadership has been shaken by chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee's warning yesterday, asking the party party to decide whether it wants to remain in an alliance with Trinamul Congress. The leaders giving pep talks to the party workers tomorrow may witness disagreements between those activists loyal to pro-Trinamul leaders and those frustrated with playing second fiddle to the dominant alliance partner. The latter, though are sure to be buoyed by Union rural development minister Mr Jairam Ramesh’s statement, made in Midnapore town today, that the Congress party has not taken voluntary retirement in the state.
What riled Miss Banerjee was a Congress rally from Hazra to Mayo road in the city yesterday protesting against attacks on Congressmen in the state. The procession in the heart of a Trinamul stronghold has been a shot in the arm for Congress activists in the city, but Miss Banerjee felt it was a conspiracy planned to have maximum impact on the by-election in Kolkata (south) parliamentary constituency scheduled for 30 November.  But local Congress leaders said that it is perfectly normal for a political party to organise processions, and it was Congress' right to make its presence felt. Mr Jairam Ramesh, who visited several villages in Junglemahal in West Midnapore to look at the implementation of the Centre’s Integrated Action Plan scheme, echoed the sentiment, telling mediapersons, in the presence of Trinamul MP and Union minister of state for rural development Mr Sisir Adhikari: “Congress is a political party and it has every right to conduct a meeting and rally. Congress has not given VRS in this state.”
Mr Ramesh is among the leaders ~ others include Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr Shakeel Ahmed ~ who will address Congress workers at tomorrow’s convention, that, apart from taking up panchayats-related issues, is expected to focus on the need to shore up Congress' grassroots support, and prevent their organisationally stronger ally from ousting them.
Mr Ramesh, during his trip to Junglemahal, visited Bhalukhonia, Salboni, and various areas in Lalgarh and Jhargram, where he interacted with villagers. He said several development projects are planned for Junglemahal, including the construction of 1,800 km of village roads.