Cannot do 'politics of sycophancy': Trinamool MLA

"When people have voted a party to power, its leadership can't avoid responsibility by saying it did not have any funds for development work. If I am entrusted with the responsibility, I have to do the work. There can't be any excuse," Sikha Mitra, wife of TMC MP and former state Congress president Somen Mitra, said.

She was speaking at a function at the state Congress Headquarters 'Bidhan Bhavan' to observe the birth anniversary of former Bengal chief minister Dr B C Roy.

Betraying her frustration with the party leadership for apparently being sidelined, Mitra said, "I can't be a party to the politics of sycophancy. I have no power to express myself. I cannot do work for my constituency. Why should I remain in the post then?"

She also criticised intra-party rivalry, saying she cannot be a party to it.

Mitra's outburst took place in the presence of Somen Mitra, who did not have the best of relationship with the party leadership either, and state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya.

Somen Mitra, however, did not go vocal on the issue. He did make a reference to how B C Roy had "solved a large number of problems despite many odds".

He also explained his presence at the Bidhan Bhavan by arguing that he always had organised this function from Bidhan Bhavan on behalf of the Bidhan Chandra Roy Memorial Trust and sought to dispel impression that it had anything to do with politics.