Further splits in Indian Congress party

The Congress Party in India has expelled a leading party rebel, Mamata Banerjee, in the eastern state of West Bengal.

The move follows her announcement in Calcutta that she was dissociating herself from the party leadership. which she accused of being insincere.

Mamata Banerjee said the separate group she has formed ,the Trinamool -- or Grassroots -- Congress,would contest the forthcoming parliamentary elections on its own.

Correspondents describe this latest split as a major set back for the former ruling Congress party, which has already fractured in several other states.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service