By IANS,
Kolkata : Straining the ties with alliance partner Trinamool Congress further, the Congress’ West Bengal unit Monday said the decision on whether to leave the government will be taken by its party high command and not by the Trinamool’s leadership.
Taking the fight to the state secretariat itself for the first time, the Congress sought to remind Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to perform her ‘Raj Dharma (policy)’ impartially.
“Whether we will leave the state cabinet or not, it will be decided by our party high command. The day our high command asks us to leave the ministry, we will leave this ministry. We have not got ministries because of somebody’s wish or help. We have got ministries because of Congress high command,” said Manoj Chakraborty, Congress leader and minister of state for parliamentary affairs.
“Nobody should think that we belong to any party. We belong to the prestigious Congress. When they (Trinamool) protest against FDI in retail, then that is not a protest. And when we say something ethical, then that is a protest and anti-alliance activity? We are not afraid of anybody,” Chakraborty said while addressing reporters at the state secretariat, the Writers Buildings.
“By blocking FDI in retail, they have done an immense damage to the nation. Common people will judge this one day. The condemnable incident which happened in Raiganj College will take a heavy toll on the image of the government. The ‘Raj Dharma’ should be performed impartially. The Trinamool is following the same path of CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist),” he said.
In an indication that all is not well within the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Banerjee Saturday asked partner Congress to walk out of the state combine, if it so wanted.