New Delhi: Putting himself in the contradictory position vis-a-vis party high command, West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury today described state Governor KN Tripathi as a "thorough gentleman" and said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee must clarify how she felt "hurt and insulted". "We want to know what really made Mamata Banerjee feel hurt or peeved. Then we can protest.
I know the Governor as a thorough gentleman," said Mr Chowdhury even as the Congress high command yesterday sought to back the Trinamool Congress and demanded ouster of the Governor. AICC spokesman Sushmita Dev yesterday said the fact that Governor has allegedly 'threatened' a Chief Minister means he deserves to be "sacked". "He should be recalled," she had said.
Adhir Chowdhury-Mamata Banerjee differences are more linked to on-ground politics of West Bengal for decades while Congress high command stand with regard to the Bengal Governor is linked to the national politics in terms of opposing Modi Government and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's good equations with Ms Banerjee.
Mr Chowdhury, also Lok Sabha MP, met Union Minister Rajnath Singh in the capital yesterday and reportedly urged him to take appropriate actions in order to bring things under control in Darjeeling hills as also communal clash hit Basirhat sub-division of North 24 Parganas district. The differences between state unit of Congress and the high command recently turned palpable when the state unit wanted Congress leader to be nominated for Rajya Sabha berth from the state while the Congress central leadership was reportedly open to back the candidature of CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
Meanwhile, the BJP is set to step up attack on the Chief Minister and the State Government for "fast deteriorating law and order situation" in the state. Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh yesterday demanded imposition of President's Rule. Senior party leader and Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya reportedly spoke to party chief Amit Shah and also the Union Home Minister. Mr Shah may depute a party delegation to meet Mr Rajnath Singh in order to urge him to take cognisance of the situation in Baduria areas as also in the hills -- where Gorkhaland State Movement has turned violent. "BJP is in favour that the Home Ministry should depute an official team to visit the violence-hit districts," a party source told UNI here. (UNI)