In season of dissent, TMC whip says humiliated by party

After Singur MLA Rabindranath Bhattacharya, it was the turn of Trinamool Congress chief whip in the Assembly Sovandeb Chattopadhyay to voice his dissent against the way the party was being run.

Chattopadhyay, who was assaulted at the Calcutta University campus yesterday, said, "This is the second time I have been publicly insulted and humiliated by a rival Trinamool faction. There is a limit to everything. I am emotionally attached to the party, the only reason why I am still here. It is time to think whether I will remain in the party or not."

The veteran leader filed an FIR at Jorasanko police station in which he accused Manmatha Biswas, Calcutta University unit secretary of All Bengal Trinamool Sikshabandhu Samity.

Chattopadhyay, who leads the Calcutta University Trinamool Employees' Association (CUTEA), was going to attend a dharna in front of the Senate Hall of the Dwarbhanga building of the university. On the way, he was allegedly intercepted and assaulted by Biswas and workers of a Trinamool faction that is patronised by Mukul Roy.

"I was heckled and beaten up by employees of another TMC faction. I immediately called Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. I do not know under whose instructions I was targeted. Despite seeking the chief minister's intervention I do not think any disciplinary action will be taken by the party against the key offenders — Manmatha Biswas and others," Chattopadhyay said.

The first time Chattopadhyay was "insulted and humiliated" was in August, when a rival faction of the party allegedly tried to frame him in a case. A woman worker of the Trinamool had alleged that she was picked up by about 10 men and raped by at least two of them. She said the men belonged to Chattopadhay's TMC faction. The woman lodged an FIR of rape against TMC workers Ajay Bhattacharya alias Chheno and others. Chheno was Chattopadhyay's election agent.

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