Rebel West Bengal Congress leader Manas Bhunia today described Mamata Banerjee as the "best Chief Minister" in the country, and termed C P Joshi "sleeping (AICC) general secretary" who "did not bother" to save the party from being "decimated" in the state.
Indicating that he might quit the party, he said, "In my long political career I have never seen such a sleeping general secretary. Congress is melting away in West Bengal and he is sleeping. I am thinking how long I can stay in the party."
Bhunia heaped praises on Chief Minister and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee saying all political parties should thank her for returning land to the farmers in Singur.
"She has kept her promise (of returning farmland). She does whatever she says. She is the best chief minister in the country," he said.
On Joshi coming to West Bengal in the month-end, the former state Congress chief said, "It is very late. He is coming after the death of Congress in the state. He should have come a month before."
Bhunia, who had strained relation with state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and CLP leader Abdul Mannan over accepting PAC chairman's post, alleged that the party in the state has touched "rock bottom" under the leadership of Chowdhury and Mannan.
"AICC should immediately remove them to save the party in the state. Congress is being wiped out of the state. AICC is silent. If Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi don't take any decision what will happen to the party in Bengal?," he said.
Bhunia's brother Bikash Bhunia, who was a Congress leader in Midnapore, had recently joined Trinamool.
The high-powered Central Disciplinary Action Committee of Congress, headed by A K Antony, has sought an explanation from Bhunia for his various actions that had put him at loggerheads with the state Congress as also the state legislature party which has recommended his suspension.
Highly-placed party sources said in a letter sent to him last week Bhunia was given 15 days to explain why action should not be taken against him.
(REOPENS CAL 1)
When contacted, Joshi refused to comment on the matter
and said he would inform the party about it.
"I don't want to make any comment regarding this matter. I will inform the AICC," he said.
However, West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury came down heavily on Bhunia and said the comments were just "lame excuses" to "prepare his ground" to join Trinamool Congress.
"He wants to join TMC and that is why he has been constantly making anti-party comments. These comments are nothing but lame excuses to prepare his political ground to join the TMC," Chowdhury said.
