Differences with party resolved: Trinamool MP

Disgruntled Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Kabir Suman, who had alleged that he was unable to work for the people of his constituency because of opposition from a section of party leaders, on Friday said differences with party members had been resolved.

He also demanded that he be allowed to speak in Parliament against the anti-Maoist operations by the police and central forces in West Midnapore district.

"Our differences have been sorted out. Our target is to remove the Communist Party of India - Marxist and the ruling Left Front democratically in West Bengal and install party chief Mamata Banerjee as the chief minister of the state," Suman told reporters after attending a meeting of intellectuals at the residence of Magsaysay Award winning writer Mahasweta Devi, to resolve the differences between him and the party.

The singer-turned MP from Jadavpur constituency said he also held 'free and frank' discussions with senior party leader Partha Chatterjee. "The problem has been resolved. Suman will go to Delhi to attend the Parliament session," said Chatterjee

"However, I am against the deployment of joint forces in Lalgarh and I should be allowed to raise this in Parliament," Suman said, a demand which the party supremo has also aired in the past.

"We are with him", said Mahasweta Devi, in an indication that the intellectuals wanted Mamata Banerjee not to backtrack on her demand for withdrawal of the joint forces from West Midnapore district.

On the MP being reportedly miffed at Banerjee describing him as a 'guest of the party', Chatterjee clarified, "He is not an outsider. He can air his views in the parliamentary party meetings and also with Mamata."

Others present at the meeting were painter Jogen Chowdhury, poet Joy Goswami, playwright Bratya Basu and academician Sunanda Sanyal.

On Sunday, Suman had stated that he felt 'suffocated' in the party and was unable to work for the people of his constituency, because of opposition from a section of party leaders. He had also threatened to resign from his Lok Sabha seat.