‘Will quit as MLA but to remain TMC supporter’

Hours after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held an "administrative meeting" in Singur, the rebel Trinamool Congress legislator, Rabindranath Bhattacharya, who was removed from the agriculture ministry and is now refusing to join the new department assigned to him, held a press conference where he said that he may quit as MLA.

Bhattacharya, who was not invited to the administrative meeting, said: "If it looks like that I have been ignored by the government, then perhaps I have been ignored. I will now step down from the post of Trinamool Congress MLA as well, and will become just a supporter of the party."

He said that he never had any craving for a ministerial berth and will work for the farmers in Singur. "No matter, whether, I remain as minister or an MLA. From today onwards, I am a supporter of the party, no more a party worker and would like to be relieved of all responsibilities," added Bhattacharya.

The face of the Singur land agitation movement, who has been raising the issue of corruption in the Trinamool Congress ranks for the past few days said that he had submitted his resignation letter to Chief Minister expressing his wish to leave the post of the agriculture minister. "I also want to leave the position of MLA. I will resign from the post of MLA soon and I will submit the resignation letter to the Speaker soon. However, on November 16, when I requested chief minister to relieve me from the post of the minister, Mamata Banerjee told me that she would not leave me. Meanwhile, in the cabinet reshuffle I was transferred," he added.

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