Bengal Congress officially asks Bhunia to give up PAC chair

KOLKATA, July 9: A day after senior Congress leader Mas Bhunia formally accepted the post of chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) despite opposition from his party, the party’s West Bengal unit on Saturday officially requested him to quit the post. Turning down the plea of Leader of Opposition Abdul Mann, of the Congress, to appoint Communist Party of India-Marxist’s Sujan Chakraborty, Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on July 4 announced Bhunia’s appointment.

While his party including state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had urged him to resign, Bhunia on Friday formally took up the post contending the party did not officially ask him to resign. At a meeting of the state Congress, where 39 legislators were present, it was decided that they would formally send a proposal in this regard.

“Bhunia has himself said that he is disciplined worker of the party. The legislators of the party will send a proposal to him urging to resign as the PAC chief and not fall prey to Trimool Congress’ trap,” said Chowdhury after a meeting with party legislators here. He said that since the decision was taken by the AICC, Bhunia should quit the post. Chowdhury also questioned as to why “on the very day an arrest warrant was issued against the Bhunia, he was rewarded with the PAC chair”.

Formally accepting his appointment, Bhunia on Friday had claimed that although he was informally asked to resign, the party did not officially conveyed its stand of wanting Chakraborty as the PAC chair. (IANS)