Kolkata, July 22: Dissident leader Ajit Panja, back in the Trinamool Congress fold after party supremo Mamata Banerjee revoked his suspension, today said he hoped that similar steps would be taken against those who had preferred to side with him. "I am sure she will take similar steps against all who have been suspended or expelled during the last two and half years because of remaining with me, particularly Bani Singha Roy and Kalyan Chakraborty, who are also long time friends and TC leaders," Panja, a former chairman of the party told news agency.

During recent talks, Panja, a former union minister said he had been told by Mamata Banerjee that she would also withdraw the petition submitted earlier to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking to disqualify him as an MP.

"Last time, when I held a discussion with Mamata, the petition which was submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking disqualification of my membership of the house was also one of the subject matters for discussion," Panja, whose revocation of suspension was announced at a TC rally by the party chief yesterday, said.
He said that it was decided that at an appropriate time, Mamata would withdraw the petition by adopting the legal procedures necessary.

Panja, who maintains that he never received the letter suspending him from the party, said, "Alls well that ends well. We are happy that my oral suspension from the party made more than two years ago as been withdrawn orally."
Bureau Report