Return to NDA, MPs tell Mamata

By Malabika Bhattacharya

KOLKATA, MAY 19. The Trinamool Congress chief, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, is said to be under great pressure from party functionaries, especially the MPs, to reconsider a comeback to the NDA as they think that it was a far better bet than the Congress in West Bengal as reflected in the just-concluded Assembly elections.

The Trinamool MPs, who met here last night at Ms. Krishna Bose's residence, told Ms. Banerjee that the election results showed the party was wrong in severing links with the NDA.

Explaining, Mr. Ranjit Panja, Trinamool MP, also the party rebel Mr. Ajit Panja's brother, told a press conference today that the way the Congress had ``backstabbed'' the Trinamool in various constituencies, it was clear that forging an alliance with it was a great mistake. ``We think the BJP was a better choice than the Congress.''

Ms. Banerjee, who is still reeling under the impact of the electoral debacle, assured the six MPs who attended the meeting that she would give a serious thought to returning to the NDA. Mr. Ajit Panja stayed away from the meeting as he had left for New Delhi, presumably to meet the BJP's central leadership about his future course of action while Mr. Nitish Sengupta, the other MP, informed that he could not make it because of his wife's indisposition.

Shaken by reports that at least five Trinamool MPs were readying themselves to quit the party in order to join the NDA, Ms. Banerjee hurriedly called a meeting of MPs to tell them to stay put and not take a hasty decision.

She argued that before taking any drastic decision such as returning to the NDA, it was advisable to first study the situation especially the Congress' inclination towards the Leftists at the national level, the State Congress leaders' attitude towards the Trinamool in the coming days and the party's abilities to sustain the anti-Left campaign in Bengal.

It is well-known that Mr. Ajit Panja and a few other MPs including, Mr. Nitish Sengupta, Mr. Bikram Sirkar and Ms. Krishna Bose were toying with the idea of quitting the Trinamool to cross over to either the BJP or form a separate bloc of their own in the coming days. The BJP leadership had even assured ministerial berths to Mr. Panja and a few other MPs.

Sensing a change in Ms. Banerjee's attitude towards the NDA in the past few days, the MPs, save Mr. Panja, are said to have decided to give Ms. Banerjee a little time to rethink her position vis-a-vis the NDA.

According to sources, the BJP leadership is also trying to figure out Ms. Banerjee's mind on the issue of supporting the NDA. If the Trinamool chief shows signs of softening her attitude towards the NDA, the BJP would not touch Mr. Panja and others for a while but wait for Ms. Banerjee to rejoin the NDA lock, stock and barrel.

Mr. Ranjit Panja hoped that the difference in opinion between Ms. Banerjee and Mr. Ajit Panja would be solved soon through discussions.

Panja flayed

PTI reports:

The meeting condemned Mr. Ajit Panja for deliberate defiance of the party directives and for issuing statements against the party's interests before and after the elections. Mr. Panja's attitude and activities were ``highly unfortunate and reprehensible'', Ms. Krishna Bose said. ``We strongly regret his acts.''

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : Bill on Panchayat Act deferred
Next     : Enron serves termination notice