Trinamool rebel legislator resigns from assembly

Rebel Trinamool Congress lawmaker Shikha Mitra Monday resigned from the assembly, accusing her party of impeding her work and using police to heckle her workers.

Mitra, the member from the Chowringhee assembly constituency of south Kolkata, also alleged that she was not allowed to serve her constituency.

The legislator went to Speaker Biman Banerjee's chamber during the day and submitted her papers.

Later, speaking to reporters, she said: "The way I am being insulted, I think such indignity is akin to death."

Mitra, the wife of former Trinamool MP and now Congress leader Somen Mitra, said she had reservations about the mandate given by the people to the Trinamool in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls.

She was suspended earlier for raising the banner of revolt against the Trinamool leadership.

"I am respectful to democracy. People have given a mandate. I am not in agreement with the mandate given by the people."

Detailing the reasons for her resignation, Mitra said: "I am not being allowed to work. My workers are being heckled by Trinamool workers day in and day out with the help of police."

"In the assembly, I can't raise any matter about my constituency," she alleged.

Mitra said she did not enter politics to extort money or enact any drama, but to work for the people.

"I hear I have been put under suspension by the party. But I am yet to get the letter," she said.

Somen Mitra contested the recent Lok Sabha polls as a Congress candidate, but lost his deposit.