Mamata offers firm support to UPA
23 Aug 2012 6:50 AM IST
Amidst political turmoil engulfing the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on CAG reports, the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has given relief to it by rebuffing BJP's demand for the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation. The Trinamool Congress chief arrived in the national capital on Tuesday evening to attend the meeting of the UPA Coordination Committee.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Shahnawaz Hussain and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who were on the same flight to Delhi as Banerjee, approached her on board, seeking her support in demanding the Singh's resignation over the alleged allocation of the coal blocks scam. Banerjee did not indulge them on the issue.
Another BJP MP, who also edits an English newspaper from Delhi, has been trying to seek an appointment with Banerjee either in Kolkata or Delhi, but has been denied so far.
Sources in the Trinamool Congress said that Banerjee's primary focus during the meet was on foreign direct investment in retail, reduction in prices of fertilisers and also improving the deplorable state of all national highways passing through West Bengal.
Banerjee has made it clear to the UPA that she will stand firmly with them and in no way will she side with the BJP, despite their constant requests to do so, added the source.
Later in the evening, after the UPA meet concluded, the finance minister P Chidambaram said, 'We discussed a wide range of issues. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered that we are ready to discuss anything in Parliament. We are ready to discuss the CAG report. The third UPA meeting will be held in second week of September.'
Banerjee will meet Chidambaram on Thursday to discuss issues related to strengthening the finances of West Bengal. She will head back to Kolkata on Friday.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Shahnawaz Hussain and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who were on the same flight to Delhi as Banerjee, approached her on board, seeking her support in demanding the Singh's resignation over the alleged allocation of the coal blocks scam. Banerjee did not indulge them on the issue.
Another BJP MP, who also edits an English newspaper from Delhi, has been trying to seek an appointment with Banerjee either in Kolkata or Delhi, but has been denied so far.
Sources in the Trinamool Congress said that Banerjee's primary focus during the meet was on foreign direct investment in retail, reduction in prices of fertilisers and also improving the deplorable state of all national highways passing through West Bengal.
Banerjee has made it clear to the UPA that she will stand firmly with them and in no way will she side with the BJP, despite their constant requests to do so, added the source.
Later in the evening, after the UPA meet concluded, the finance minister P Chidambaram said, 'We discussed a wide range of issues. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered that we are ready to discuss anything in Parliament. We are ready to discuss the CAG report. The third UPA meeting will be held in second week of September.'
Banerjee will meet Chidambaram on Thursday to discuss issues related to strengthening the finances of West Bengal. She will head back to Kolkata on Friday.
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