Even as the state Congress celebrated the near-total response to its 12-hour Bengal bandh call on Friday, senior state Congress leaders made it clear that the party would be going it alone in the series of agitations planned to protest the attack on Congress MLAs in Mangalkot in Burdwan on Wednesday, allegedly by CPM supporters.

Senior Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee said the alliance with the Trinamool Congress was for seat-sharing during elections.

“We will hold agitations as a party. There is no question of the Trinamool being a part of the Mangalkot agitations,” Mukherjee said.

On its part, the Trinamool appeared to be miffed over the Congress’ decision to go solo. Asked about the bandh response, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee said, “Ask those who called the bandh. We did not (call the bandh).”

Trinamool MLA and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Partha Chatterjee, too, was terse. “I have nothing to say regarding this.”

While Congress leaders, including Mukherjee, were able to visit affected villages in the Mangalkot area, which has been on the boil ever since the murder of prominent local CPM leader Falguni Mukherjee, Trinamool leaders, including Chatterjee and Madan Mitra, could not enter. They claimed they were stopped by armed CPM cadres.

Congress Legislature Party leader Manas Bhuniya said the party wanted to intensify its agitation that kicks off with a public meeting opposite Metro Cinema hall on July 29 to protest atrocities against Opposition party workers in Mangalkot.

“On August 5, we will hold protests in front of the offices of district magistrates of all districts. On the same day, we will hold protests in front of Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar as well as outside the offices of the Deputy Commissioners of Police for North and South Kolkata. We have planned a ‘Mangalkot Chalo’ campaign on August 9 in which state Congress leaders will participate. Behrampore MP and Murshidabad district Congress president Adhir Choudhury will also join the campaign,” Bhuniya said.

... contd.