Kolkata, Dec 24 (IANS): As Congress leader from Jammu & Kashmir Gulam Ahmad Mir gets the charge of the West Bengal unit on behalf of All India Congress Committee (AICC), doubts galore among a section of the party’s state leadership on how seriously the high command view’s its prospects in the state.

Mir, a former state president of Congress in Jammu & Kashmir and also a party MLA from the union territory replaces A. Chellakumar from Tamil Nadu.

A senior leader from the West Bengal unit of Congress said on strict condition of anonymity that basically Mir, who is in charge of mainly the party’s Jharkhand unit on behalf of AICC, has been given the additional responsibility for West Bengal this time.

According to him, this development is a subtle indication on how seriously the party’s high command takes West Bengal. “But anyway as per tradition, we have accepted the decision of the high command. This is just like that we have left the decision of choosing the alliance partner in West Bengal on the high command, although the majority in West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee are against any kind of understanding or seat sharing agreement with the ruling Trinamool Congress,” the state Congress leader said.

However, the only shining point of state Congress leader is that former party Lok Sabha member, Deepa Dasmunshi, has been given the additional charge of senior observer on behalf of AICC for Telangana in addition to that for Kerala and Lakshadeep.

She is one of the most vocal voices in the state unit of Congress against any kind of alliance with Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. Many a times she had said that the manner in which Trinamool Congress are up to in weakening Congress in West Bengal as well as in some other states closes all the paths for Congress’ alliance with the state’s ruling party.