Das Munshi: I’m coming

Calcutta, July 16: Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, who underwent an angioplasty 10 days ago, will leave for Delhi tomorrow after being released from hospital because he is a much sought-after number cruncher for the Congress before the trust vote in Parliament.

“Doctors said the course for his antibiotic medicines will be completed tomorrow. He has been declared fit. That is why we are planning to leave for Delhi immediately after his release from the hospital,” said Das Munshi’s wife Deepa, a Congress MLA from north Bengal.

Several AICC leaders called up the information and broadcasting minister from Delhi during the day, requesting him to come over at the earliest. The trust vote is to be held on July 22.

“He is required in the capital at this hour,” said Mohsina Kidwai, the AICC general secretary in charge of Bengal.

Das Munshi had ensured that the UPA sailed smoothly through the elections for the President and Vice-President last year, despite the NDA going for the kill.

Also the state Congress president, Das Munshi today spoke to the six party MPs from Bengal, including Dawa Narbula of Darjeeling, to ensure their presence during the voting in the Lok Sabha.

He had met some Congress functionaries at the hospital yesterday to discuss a party programme to be held at Netaji Indoor Stadium on August 9.

Former state Congress chief Somen Mitra, who had created a flutter by breaking ranks and calling on Mamata Banerjee to discuss an anti-CPM alliance, has been camping in Delhi for the past few days, apparently to explain his move.

“Fearing a reprimand from the high command, Somen is desperately trying make the party’s central leaders understand that he is not floating any anti-CPM platform with Mamata,” a state Congress leader said.

Kidwai said Mitra had assured her that he was not leaving the Congress.

In Calcutta, Mamata had described the meeting as a “turning point” in Bengal politics and reciprocated Mitra’s gesture by going to his house a few days later.