Will not tolerate indiscipline in party: Bengal Congress chief

Kolkata, July 15 (IANS) The Congress' West Bengal unit chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday hinted at taking disciplinary action against party legislator Manas Bhunia who defying party diktat, has refused to step down as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

"We will not tolerate indiscipline in the party. I will be the last person to do so. Whatever action we take, we will let you know at an appropriate time," he told media persons here.

Chowdhury's comments come a day after a defiant Bhunia on Thursday asked the party leadership to allow him to continue as the PAC chairman and alleged party colleague and Leader of the Opposition Abdul Mannan and Chowdhury of "conspiring to humiliate him".

Asked to comment on Bhunia's allegations, Chowdhury said: "He is free to say whatever he wants to."

Since his appointment as the PAC chairman earlier in the month, the Congress, which wanted the post to go to Communist Party of India-Marxist legislator Sujon Chakraborty, has repeatedly urged Bhunia to quit the post contending it was a "trap" by the ruling Trinamool Congress to break their unity.