Somen hints at return to Congress

Bolpur: Trinamool Congress MP Somen Mitra almost confirmed his return to Congress at an informal gathering of Congress workers in Bolpur on Sunday.
During his 20-minute speech, Mitra clarified that he could make a formal announcement only after resigning from his position as MP and from his present party. "I'll resign in the first week of January," he specified.
Reacting to requests from Congress leaders and workers of Birbhum to return to his old party at the get-together held in a private lodge, Mitra said: "I'm still a Trinamool MP, though I've already decided to resign from that position.I respect two things in politics - ethics and dignity. I cannot sacrifice these at any cost. So, I've decided to leave Trinamool, but it will be effective only when I resign as the party's MP, too. Then I'll formally declare whether I'll return to Congress."
Saying he had come to meet the workers "as an old colleague", the MP said: "If I join Congress, I'll come to the meeting of Congress workers, hear their problems and grudges and try to find out some solutions. I think that the earth is round and hope that in future, I'll be with you on the same platform and fight against what's unjust."
Mitra stressed on the importance of grassroots workers to rejuvenate the party. "You were with me in 1977 when Congress was in an even worse condition than it is in now. The grassroots workers fought for Congress then; in future, too, they will save the party. Those who are still with Congress in its bad time should organize themselves and get ready to fight against the wrongdoers."
He apologized for his "confusing speech" and explained that "certain political principles" barred him from "saying more" as he was still a Trinamool MP. "I'll resign in the first week of January. If I resign as MP, the people in my constituency will suffer. I don't want them to face another bypoll. I hope I'll meet you again after resigning from Trinamool," he said.
Abhijit Mukherjee, Congress MP and in charge of the party in Birbhum, said Mitra was "welcome" to return: "Somen Mitra was a senior leader of our party. Needless to say, if he returns, Congress will be strengthened. I think those who left Congress recently will return soon because they are getting suffocated in their new situation. The exodus from Congress is a temporary phenomenon. Congress will regain its strength in this state."
Also present in the meeting were former Congress chairman of Bolpur Municipality Tapan Saha, chairman of Congress Sevadal Debkumar Dutta, Intuc leader Mrinal Basu, Mannan Ali, Dhananjay Ghosh, Gourimohan Basu, among others.
"Somenda came to Bolpur to meet some of his old acquaintances. But when the news of his arrival spread, party workers gathered and wanted to talk to him. Undoubtedly, his speech has encouraged our party workers," said Mrinal Basu.