Kolkata: With union ministers belonging to the Trinamool Congress resigning yesterday, the Congress said its ministers in the West Bengal government will put in their papers today.
“All the Congress ministers in the West Bengal cabinet will assemble before Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today evening and hand over their resignations to her,” state irrigation minister and Congress leader Manas Bhunia said.
“I contacted the chief minister’s secretariat for an appointment with her for handing over our resignations. We have been allotted time at 5pm today,” he said. State Congress President Pradip Bhattacharya had yesterday announced the party’s decision to quit the Banerjee cabinet.
Asked whether it implied that the alliance between the Trinamool and the Congress in the state was over, Bhattacharya replied: “Effectively, yes. The alliance is collapsing”.
Having 42 members in the 294-member state assembly (two more than the Communist Party of India- Marxist’s 40), the Congress may also stake a claim to the post of the leader of the opposition presently held by CPI-M’s Surjya Kanta Mishra.IANS
