Calcutta, Sept. 9: A dozen Congress leaders who had been removed from their posts today organised a demonstration in front of the party headquarters off CIT Road, protesting the manner in which Manas Bhuniya was appointed state unit’s chief.

The former district Congress presidents, removed for “non-performance”, and their supporters demanded that the state party chief be either elected through secret ballot or nominated through consensus. None of the procedures was followed in the case of Bhuniya, who was nominated by the high command, they said.

The leaders, including Pradip Bhattacharya, Debi Ghoshal, Nirbed Roy, Biplab Das and Pradip Ghosh, also alleged that they had been “unceremoniously” removed.

Some Congress leaders said the public show of discontent against Bhuniya had “damaged the party’s image”.

Rahul Gandhi had urged party workers at a rally in Calcutta on September 6 to work together ahead of next year’s Assembly polls. “It’s unfortunate that Bengal Congress leaders failed to learn from Rahulji who tried to inculcate discipline in them during his recent visit,” said an AICC leader from Delhi.

Bhuniya, who is in Tamluk, said: “The demonstration amounts to an insult not only to me but also to the organisation.”