Siliguri mayor issue: TC continues to attack Cong

Despite the Congress’ attempts to downplay differences with its ally Trinamool Congress on the Siliguri mayor election issue, the Mamata Banerjee-led party today accused the top Congress leadership of reaching an understanding with the Left Front.

Trinamool Congress leader and Union Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy alleged that an “unholy nexus” exists between the Front and the Congress. “Top Congress leadership has reached an understanding with the Left Front keeping our party in the dark,” he told a private TV channel.

Roy dismissed the Congress contention that the differences between the parties over taking Left support were a mere ‘local issue’.

The relation between the two allies suffered a jolt yesterday after Congress nominee Gangotri Dutta was elected mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) with Left Front support.

Trinamool supremo and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had described the Congress’ role in the mayoral election as “a betrayal of people’s trust”.

Party sources said Banerjee would arrive at Siliguri on Sunday where she would hold a rally and tender an apology to the people “for the failure of her party to fulfil election pledges”.

Meanwhile, the core committee of the West Bengal Congress unit will meet here tomorrow to take stock of the situation and send a report to the party high command, party sources said.

The state Congress unit blasted the Trinamool Congress for “daring” to blame the All India Congress Committee high command for taking Left support for the SMC election.