Trinamool Cong move to split CLP

Asked if her party would admit any Congress legislator after November 25, she replied, 8220;It will be at the discretion of the party leadership.8221;

Stating that at present, at least 11 Congress MLAs have expressed their support, the Trinamool congress leader said that many other Congress MLAs had also contacted her. She however refused to divulge their names.

To a question if her party could muster the support of 24 Congress legislators, which was required to effect a split in the CLP which has now 70 MLAs, she expressed confidence saying that the number could be much more.

Prominent among those Congress MLAs who were present at the meeting included CLP deputy leader Ambica Banerjee, Pankaj Banerjee, Sadhan Pandey, Rabin Mukherjee, Mihir Goswami. Senior Congress legislator Subrata Mukherjee was also present for a brief period.

Officially Trinamool congress has three MLAs now. Asked who would be the leader of TC legislature party in the Assembly, Banerjee said that earlier Sobhandev Chattopadhyay was the leader since he was the only MLA of TC. 8220;Let the house open. They would elect their leader, deputy leader etc.,8221; she said.

Avoiding a question about the possible strategy of Congress MLAs who supported TC if Congress issued whip on any motion, she said that it would be decided when whip was issued.

The Trinamool Congress leader said that her party would bring a no-confidence motion against the Left Front Government in the coming session. 8220;Ours will be a real fight against the CPI-M,8221; she said.

Trinamool Congress, she said, would raise issues like the outbreak of malaria in the city, deterioration of law and order in the state in the house.

Banerjee said that her party would take preparation from this month for the next Assembly poll which might be preponed. A joint platform in the line of National Democratic Alliance would be launched in which many parties having leftist leaning would be included, she said.

Meanwhile, the Congress leadership said that they did not apprehend a split in CLP and dubbed those MLAs who expressed support to Trinamool Congress as 8220;opportunists8221; and dared them to formally join TC.

CLP Chief whip in the Assembly Abdul Mannan said that if those MLAs wanted to cross over to TC, they should inform the Assembly speaker or the CLP leader. 8220;They talk of value-based politics. But they avail all facilities as Congress legislators and support TC. It is unfortunate that these opportunists are in our party.8221;

The CLP chief whip said that they would move a motion in the coming session against the Central Government for the price rise and issue whip to their MLAs. If any MLA defied the whip, he would be disqualified.

Many of those legislators including Pankaj Banerjee, Sanjay Bakshi Dutta, Tushar Mandal and Ashoke Mukherjee who expressed support to TC, he said, had earlier clarified that they had no association with TC.