CALCUTTA, June 2: Rajesh Pilot's visit to the city to moblilise West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee's (Mamata Banerjee faction) support failed to give any assurance for the crucial 9th June.

Pilot, one of the contender's for the Congress party president's post, seemed to have drawn blank in West Bengal where of late the factional war has reached a climax.

With the interim WBPCC leaders, including their chief, already decided to cast whole hog with Kesri, avoided Pilot in a way which could be described as even `discourteous'. And thus not without a reason, a bitter Pilot reacted saying, ``In every state there will be `Mamatas' willing to float regional parties.'' Mamata, for whom Pilot spoke in positive terms, also didn't call on him.

Unfortunately for Pilot, his visit came at a time when the WBPCC leaders are struggling to grapple with the Mamata's threat to the PCC and AICC inviting them to take action against her and her handful of loyalists for boycotting the organisational poll. The threat has already exposed the WBPCC that notwithstanding their organisational victory, they are on weak grounds when it comes to punishing Mamata, the West Bengal Youth Congress chief. And they know too well if they hobnob with Pilot that will expose their weakness more.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.