TMC minister Subrata finds CPM as pollutant

First it was the state food and supply minister Jyotipriya Mullick who asked Trinamool cadres not to keep any relation with the CPM. Today, senior Trinamool leader and state panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee joined him when he said that he "feels uncomfortable" when he sees and hears CPM MLAs in the Assembly because they cause "visual and sound pollution".

In a direct attack against UPA's candidate for the Presidential election, Pranab Mukherjee, Subrata said there are some people (read the Congress leaders) who feel comfortable associating with the CPM.

Referring to CPM's support to Pranab in the Presidential election, Subrata said: "Some people (like Pranab) feel comfortable with CPM's association, but we do not feel the same. It's because of compulsion that we have to spend some time with the CPM members when the Assembly is in session," Subrata said. "When we see and hear CPM leaders in the Assembly, we feel that that cause visual and sound pollution. But what can be done, after all there are some compulsions," the minister added.

Daring the Congress to leave the alliance, he also took a dig at state leadership accusing them of raising issue of "regionalism" in an important event like election of the President.

Speaking on Congress leaders' allegations that CM Mamata Banerjee is opposing candidature of UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee because she does not want a Bengali politician to become the president of the country, Subrata said: "This is a dangerous trend. It is not healthy for the country's democracy. One should not raise the issue of regionalism. What will happen if some other racial groups want the President to be elected from their community? Such type of politics is not expected from a century-old party like the Congress."

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