‘Pranab always held CPM’s hands’

Mukherjee is scheduled to meet the MLAs of the Congress,CPM and Forward Bloc MLAs at the Assembly tomorrow.

“Pranab Mukherjee rose in politics by holding the hands of the CPM and during the whole of his career he kept close touch with the CPM. Today,when he is retiring from active politics,he has again held the hands of the Marxists. It is quite interesting,’’ Mukherjee said.

The Congress leadership was quick to retort.

“Subrata Mukherjee has always been a stooge of the CPIM himself. During his entire career he was nicknamed tormuj (watermelon,a fruit that is red inside). Everybody knows who maintained close ties with the CPM. A person,who has always maintained double standards,is making such an allegation,’’ Pradesh Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya told The Indian Express.

Pranab Mukherjee,who arrived in Kolkata this afternoon,said he would meet journalists tomorrow after his meeting with the MLAS. “I am touring states and meeting people who have pledged support to me. I have already visited 15-16 states and tomorrow I am going to meet the CPM and Forward Bloc MLAs,’’ he said from his Dhakuria residence.

The political grapevine has it that Mamata ordered the Assembly session,which was to continue till July 17,to close on July 6 in order to scuttle a possible plan on Mukherjee’s part to drop in at the Trinamool Congress MLAs’ chamber in the Assembly and have a meeting with them.