Mamata understands Congress
5 May 2012 6:49 AM GMT
Amid the speculations about choosing a presidential candidate, two important UPA leaders met in New Delhi on Friday, though officially for a different cause. The Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his official residence. After the meeting, Banerjee told the media, ‘No discussion was held with the prime minister on the presidential candidate. There are still two months left [for the election], and we have kept our options open.’
According to the Trinamool chief ’s media briefing, she had a good discussion with Singh on the financial health of West Bengal. However, the sources said that the issue of the presidential candidate did come up in the meeting. Banerjee seems to have indicated to Singh that she would support the Congress candidate if her demand for a three-year moratorium on the repayment of loan to the Centre is accepted.
This has come as a huge relief to the Congress, which is in dire need of support from the allies on this issue. The Congress believes that with an assurance of support from Banerjee, it can have its way in the election.
Earlier on Thursday, Banerjee met the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, where their discussions focussed on the issue of presidential election. Banerjee spent about 40 minutes with Gandhi. According to sources, this meeting swung the Trinamool Congress in favour of the Congress. This meeting took place despite many Congress members from West Bengal arguing that Banerjee is not reliable and might ally with the NDA.
But, observers believe that this is not possible, given her support base among the minorities. Even from the very first day, it was clear that the Congress cannot get its candidate elected without the support of the Trinamool Congress. And, Banerjee’s demands are very simple. She wants a moratorium on the interest of around Rs 22,000 crore per year on Central loans for three years.
Banerjee feels that West Bengal has been forced to shell out this money due to the poor economic management of the Left Front rule. To strengthen her case, she came to Delhi with enough documentary evidence to prove that the Centre giving concession on the interest money will not be an unprecedented move. In 1990, the Centre had allowed a moratorium on interest to Punjab.
Banerjee is supposed to have clarified to the Congress that she would have no disagreement with any candidate the Congress chooses, including the finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. On the other hand, she is supposed to have discussed the post-lok Sabha poll scenario with Yadav. The sources say that both Yadav and Banerjee are of the view that the 2014 General Election will throw a fractured mandate, and the allies will play a significant role in the formation of the next government. In such a scenario, the president will have an important role to play.
According to the Trinamool chief ’s media briefing, she had a good discussion with Singh on the financial health of West Bengal. However, the sources said that the issue of the presidential candidate did come up in the meeting. Banerjee seems to have indicated to Singh that she would support the Congress candidate if her demand for a three-year moratorium on the repayment of loan to the Centre is accepted.
This has come as a huge relief to the Congress, which is in dire need of support from the allies on this issue. The Congress believes that with an assurance of support from Banerjee, it can have its way in the election.
Earlier on Thursday, Banerjee met the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, where their discussions focussed on the issue of presidential election. Banerjee spent about 40 minutes with Gandhi. According to sources, this meeting swung the Trinamool Congress in favour of the Congress. This meeting took place despite many Congress members from West Bengal arguing that Banerjee is not reliable and might ally with the NDA.
But, observers believe that this is not possible, given her support base among the minorities. Even from the very first day, it was clear that the Congress cannot get its candidate elected without the support of the Trinamool Congress. And, Banerjee’s demands are very simple. She wants a moratorium on the interest of around Rs 22,000 crore per year on Central loans for three years.
Banerjee feels that West Bengal has been forced to shell out this money due to the poor economic management of the Left Front rule. To strengthen her case, she came to Delhi with enough documentary evidence to prove that the Centre giving concession on the interest money will not be an unprecedented move. In 1990, the Centre had allowed a moratorium on interest to Punjab.
Banerjee is supposed to have clarified to the Congress that she would have no disagreement with any candidate the Congress chooses, including the finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. On the other hand, she is supposed to have discussed the post-lok Sabha poll scenario with Yadav. The sources say that both Yadav and Banerjee are of the view that the 2014 General Election will throw a fractured mandate, and the allies will play a significant role in the formation of the next government. In such a scenario, the president will have an important role to play.
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