Former LF minister Abdus Sattar joins Congress

Kolkata: Former West Bengal minister Abdus Sattar, who severed his long association with the CPI-M last year, on Monday joined the Congress, calling it the only party capable of challenging the communal policies of the BJP.

Sattar, who served as Minister of State for Minorities Development during the Left Front regime, was welcomed into the Congress by state party chief Somen Mitra and in-charge of Bengal Gaurav Gogoi.

"I decided to join the Congress after I became convinced it is the only party that can stand up to the communal onslaught launched by the BJP across the country," Sattar told mediapersons at the state Congress headquarters Bidhan Bhavan.

Sattar had not renewed his membership of the Communist Party of India-Marxist in 2017. Since then, he had not been associated with any party.