Bengal Congress leader Koustav Bagchi quits party

Bagchi, who tonsured his head long ago and swore to keep it that way untill the Mamata Banerjee regime was removed from power, in an email to Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and party's state chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury announced his resignation from all party posts as also its primary membership.

"It is embarrassing and was hurting me, rather insulting me for some months now that many in the Congress consider the TMC as the sister organisation of the Congress," Bagchi told reporters.

Bagchi said he has been witnessing for years that no national leader in the Congress has ever opposed the TMC's "reign of terror" in West Bengal.

"There is not even a single word about Sandeshkhali from the central leadership, which is currently on the boil for alleged sexual torture of women and forcible grabbing of the land of the poor tribal people in North 24 Parganas district," he said.

Bagchi was recently seen with BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari when the latter had visited the advocate's house on the occasion of a puja.

Bagchi, who used to defend his party members in various court cases and participate in television talks shows regularly, told reporters Wednesday that Adhikari was the only political leader in West Bengal fighting against TMC's "misrule".

He reiterated that he would be active in politics and start a new inning within 2/3 days -- "wait and watch".

Bagchi had been associated with the grand old party since 2004.