The CLP, which took the decision in its Wednesday’s meeting, is sending a similar notice to Sudip Bandopadhyay, who had also quitted the Congress on December 14.

“They (Bandopadhyay and Mitra) talk of morality and ethics. We have come to know from media reports that they joined the Trinamool. But since they won the Assembly elections on a Congress ticket, they should resign from the Assembly. We want them to explain their stand otherwise we will write to the Speaker to disqualify them under the anti-defection law,” Manas Bhuniya, CLP leader, said after the meeting.

He said notices will be sent to them in a couple of days. He, however, added that Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim will take the final decision regarding their disqualification. Bhuniya also said if the party does not receive a reply from the two leaders within seven days, it will take action against them.

In the past, however, it was seen that even though an MLA had quitted his party, the Speaker did not disqualify him. Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee had left the Congress after the 2001 Assembly elections and joined the Trinamool but he was not disqualified.