Somnath issues appeal for ‘sister’ Ramola’s victory

Cornered by the Opposition Trinamool Congress’s campaign and apprehending a further debacle in the bypoll,Chattrejee’s appeal to the people will help her,admitted Ramola.

The leaflet seeking votes for Ramola had reached her Salt Lake residence on. Ramola immediately asked her party cadres to distribute copies of the appeal among the voters,especially the Left voters who were shocked with CPM general secretary Prakash Karat’s decision on Chatterjee’s expulsion.

“We cannot keep any relation with any of our expelled party card holders. Ramola would have faced trouble once Somnathda was allowed to campaign for her,” said a senior leader of the party. “But anyone can make an appeal to the voters for us,” he added.

Considering this,Ramola had requested Chatterjee to address public meetings in Belgachia from a non-political platform. The former Speaker,however,refused this.

“Ramola is like my sister. No one from the party has approached me to make this appeal. They have asked me to address meetings to be organised by non-political organisations,but I did not. It is not a political appeal,but I want her victory,so I have appealed to the voters,” said Chatterjee.

“Surely the appeal has a strong message for me and the voters as well,” said Ramola.

Chatterjee has been a close family friend of Subhash Chakraborty and his wife. Chakraborty,had tried his best to bring back Chatterjee into the party fold. Party insiders say,the departed leader,till his last breath,fought for Chatterjee inside the party.

Earlier,Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had also shared a dais with Chatterjee at a party meeting to commemorate a Jadavpur-based party leader Pranab Sen.

“Most of the Bengal leaders do not buy Karat’s decision,” said a senior CPM leader.