Congress to boycott Mamata’s swearing-in

Kolkata, May 24 (IANS) Angry over the "attacks" on its party activists across West Bengal allegedly by the ruling Trinamool Congress, the Congress on Tuesday announced it would boycott Mamata Banerjee government's swearing-in ceremony on May 27.

"We are boycotting the event. We feel if we attend the fucntion it will be a great injustice to our party workers who are bearing the brunt of the violence unleashed by the Trinamool Congress since the recent assembly polls," said state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

He also questioned the "elaborate and wasteful" arrangements being made for the ceremony to be held on Indira Gandhi Sarani (erstwhile Red Road).

The Congress would hold a sit-in demonstration at Esplanade in Central Kolkata at the same time when Banerjee takes her oath.

"We are surprised over the crores of rupees being squandered for the oath-taking ceremony. Bengal is the highest debt-ridden state in the country. I don't know what has prompted the Trinamool and Mamata Banerjee to make such lavish arrangements by closing the important Red road," he said.

Meanwhile, the Congress high command would decide the name of the Congress legislature party leader, who would also become the leader of the opposition.

Winning 44 seats, the Congress has emerged as the largest opposition in the state.

"We have sent the bio-date and all details of all the legislators to the Congress high command. Congress president Sonia Gandhi will take the final decision," said Chowdhury after a state party meeting.

A state Congress committee meeting also decided that the alliance with the Left Front would not only be continued, but also strengthened at all levels.

The Congress would soon put forth a suggestion to the LF leadership to form coordination committees in the districts.

Chowdhury said Congress leaders would also take part in the two-day sit-in demonstration announced by the LF at Esplanade in protest against the post-poll violence.