Reiterating that the Congress-Left Front alliance will continue in West Bengal, state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury today asked party MLAs to maintain their own identity in the state Assembly and not turn into leftist.
"We will maintain our alliance both in and outside the Assembly. But, we will also maintain our own identity," Chowdhury told reporters.
"We have been told by Adhir Chowdhury to present ourselves inside the Assembly in such a way that we are known. He has told us we have fought as an alliance and will continue as an alliance partner both inside and outside the Assembly," a senior MLA said after the Congress Legislature Party meet.
"We will continue our fight together through various movements. But, while acting as alliance partner of the Left Front, we should not turn into Leftists," he said.
Chowdhury, Leader of Opposition Abdul Mannan and senior party leader Manas Bhuniya attended the meet in the Assembly.
Congress MLA Manoj Chakraborty was elected as the new chief whip of the CLP, while Nepal Mahatao was made the deputy leader of the party in the Assembly.
Chowdhury lashed out at the ruling Trinamool Congress over post poll violence in the state.
"TMC is not giving proper respect to opposition parties in the Assembly. If they think they can do whatever they want, then they are very wrong. If they have 211 seats, then we have also got 76 seats. We have also got 2.15 crore votes. A large section of people have supported us. They can't bulldoze the opposition in the state," he said.
Congress would hit the streets over the issue of price rise of essentials, he said.
"Why is the TMC government silent on the issue of frequent fuel price hike and price rise of essentials? Why is the state government not slashing its sales tax rates to give some relief to the masses? We will soon hit the streets over rise in prices of essentials," Chowdhury said.
(REOPENS CAL 1)
Meanwhile, Chowdhury accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of "trying to destroy the democratic system" in the state by "poaching on opposition MLAs".
"The TMC has let loose a fascist rule in the state. They are poaching on opposition MLAs by either using money power or muscle power. I challenge them that if they have guts, they should win these municipalities and Assembly seats in elections," he said.
Chowdhury addressed a meeting of Congress MLAs and requested them to reach out to the masses to ward off the perception that Congress MLAs were leaving the party to join the TMC.
"I have told them that this perception needs to be fought back. If the TMC is an honest and transparent party, it should ask those MLAs who have joined it to resign and go for by-elections," he said.
