Former West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Manas Bhuniya joined the Trinamool Congress on Monday, reported PTI. Calling the ruling party the "real Congress", Bhunia said, "The Congress with which I was associated with for 46 years is completely ruined because of [AICC General Secretary] C P Joshi, Adhir Chowdhury and Abdul Mannan. From today I am a loyal soldier of Trinamool Congress and will abide by the orders and decisions of Mamata Banerjee."

Bhunia had been having trouble with the party's state leadership after Central Disciplinary Action Committee of Congress sought explanations from him about several actions and decisions by him, including his stand to continue as the Public Accounts Committee chairman of the state Assembly. He was appointed to the post on July 8.