Lure of berths brings West Bengal Cong MPs to Delhi

“We have not received any information about who will get a berth. We will be happy if more and more Congress MPs are given ministerial berth,” said Congress leader Abdul Mannan said.

Insiders said the Bengal unit of the Congress has demanded three berths in the Cabinet,but the leadership has not yet responded.

“Deepa Dasmunsi and Adhir Chowdhury are frontrunners. It is almost certain that Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury will make it to the cabinet. Malda MP and a member of Rahul’s team,Mausam Benazir Noor,and state party chief Pradip Bhattacharjee are also in the race,” a Congress leader said.

“Intense lobbying for berths is on in Delhi,” another senior leader added.

Some in the Congress are in favour of giving berths to Adhir Chowdhury and Dasmunshi. “Both are vocal against Trinamool. With panchayat polls drawing close,we suspect the Trinamool will go all out to split the Congress at the grassroots. If such a situation arises,the presence of Chowdhury and Dasmunsi will infuse fresh blood in the party ahead of the polls,” a state Congress leader said.

Many others,however,feel otherwise. “Chowdhury should be made state party chief. The impact of such a move would be larger than inducting him in the Cabinet,” said a party leader.