Kolkata: West Bengal's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Thursday expelled its Lok Sabha MP from Katwa, Abu Ayesh Mondal, for alleged anti-party activities amid speculation that he may contest the coming Lok Sabha elections as a Trinamool Congress candidate.
CPI-M Burdwan district secretary Amal Haldar said that Mondal was spreading canards against the party after being denied a ticket for the polls.
"His Lok Sabha constituency is no more after the delimitation of seats. So we could not give him a ticket. But he could not stomach this and and started secret communications with the Trinamool Congress," Haldar claimed. "We held a meeting this morning (Thursday) and expelled him for anti-party activities."
In turn, Mondal alleged that the CPI-M never showed the courtesy of officially telling him that he is not being given the party ticket. "They haven't cared to let me know that I have been summarily expelled. I am a senior leader of the party. They should have told me officially that I won't contest this time. I am definitely unhappy."
On speculation that he would be joining the Trinamool Congress, Mondal said: "I have not yet taken a final decision."
Mondal, a former legislator from Ousgram in Burdwan district, denied that he was hobnobbing with the Trinamool Congress. "I was an MLA for a long time. I am also an MP now. To do my work efficiently I have to maintain good rapport with leaders of various parties. I have never gone beyond that."
Mondal was elected to the Lok Sabha from Katwa in a by-poll in 2006.
West Bengal will go to the polls April 30, May 7 and May 13.
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