Date:28/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/28/stories/2008092859831100.htm

National

AIFB threatens to pull out from Cabinet

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: The All-India Forward Bloc, a major constituent of the ruling Left Front in West Bengal, has threatened to pull out its Ministers from the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Cabinet if the government does not withdraw its directive on renewal of German company Metro Cash and Carry’s licence by September 30. The FB has four Ministers in the Cabinet.

“I have urged Left Front chairman Biman Bose to call an urgent meeting of the Front before that date,” Forward Bloc general secretary Ashok Ghosh said. “We will issue instructions to our party Ministers to resign if need be.” The decision had been conveyed to all the constituents of the Left Front, Mr. Ghosh said.

Saturday’s decision followed the one taken on Friday evening that the AIFB Ministers would abstain from duty from Monday.

“Unprecedented”

In a statement released here, Mr. Ghosh said the manner in which the State government issued a directive to renew the company’s licence without any discussion at the Cabinet level, at the core committee or within the State Left Front was unprecedented.