FICCI secretary-general Amit Mitra joins Trinamool

Kolkata, Mar 14: FICCI secretary-general Amit Mitra today formally joined Trinamool Congress, ahead of crucial West Bengal Assembly elections in Apr-May.

Well-known economist Mitra, after joining the party, said West Bengal was on the brink of a "titanic" shift under Mamata Banerjee's leadership.

"I have joined Trinamool Congress today under Mamata Banerjee's leadership and I am ready to accept whichever constituency I will be asked to contest from," Mitra told reporters outside the Trinamool supremo's Kalighat residence.

Party sources hinted Mitra might be pitted against the state's Harvard-educated Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta in Khardah seat. "If I am asked to contest Asim Dasgupta, I will take up the challenge," FICCI secretary-general said.

The joining of Mitra came two days after former chief secretary Manish Gupta announced to join the Trinamool Congress and hinted that he might be asked to take on Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee in the Jadavpore Assembly constituency. "For me it is a homecoming since I had education in the city," Mitra said.

Claiming the state is burdened with a Rs two lakh crore debt, Mitra opposed suggestions by political adversaries that Mamata Banerjee had been driving away industrialists from West Bengal.

"This is wrong. As a chairman of the Railways expert committee formed by her, I saw Mamata introducing for the first time a public-private partnership in the Railways."

He expressed confidence that many companies would come here if changes took place under her leadership as she focus on "transparency."

"West Bengal will see PPP. I see bright prospects for the industries in the state where 33 railway projects have been put forward by Banerjee as Railway Minister," he added.

PTI