Congress split in Tripura inevitable

AGARTALA, August 20: The Congress in Tripura is heading for a virtual split with its top leader and former chief minister Sudhir Ranjan Mazumder joining the Trinamul Congress headed by Mamata Banerjee. Mazumder, also a former Pradesh Congress Committee president and Rajya Sabha member, told newsmen here on Friday that Banerjee had appointed him as the chairman of the Trinamul Congress' Tripura unit. The names of other leaders of the state unit would be announced soon, he said. "I have been associated with the Congress since 1960. I remained a true Congressman though many leaders left the party," Mazumder said adding "it was not my intention to leave the party, but the high command has sold the party to the CPI(M)." Mazumder announced his decision to join the Trinamul Congress after Pijush Biswas was selected for the West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency. Leaders close to Mazumder said Banerjee had already requested the central leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to give the West Tripura Lok Sabha seat to the Trinamul Congress.