Kolkata/New Delhi, January 07 : In an indication that all is not well within the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Saturday threw an open challenge to partner Congress to walk out of the combine.
This is the first time Banerjee has spoken so bitterly and openly against the Congress after the ties between the two parties — allies in the central and state governments — worsened in recent months over various issues.
“If Congress feels they can go with (the Communist Party of India-Marxist) CPI-M, they can do it. The door is open. We can do (run the state government) it alone,” Banerjee said in West Bengal.
The fiery comments came a day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday said problems with Congress allies were “temporary” and would be overcome with “will” and “determination”.
The Congress in New Delhi downplayed the Mamata challenge saying disagreements were part of coalition politics.
“In a coalition arrangement, disagreements do occur. Disagreements are valued in a coalition. These issues would be sorted out,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters in the capital.
Banerjee, however, minced no words in lashing out at the Congress accusing it of spreading canards against her party because she opposed the central government’s key policy decisions and blocked crucial bills, including the anti-corruption Lokpal legislation in parliament.
The Trinamool, the second largest constituent of the UPA with 19 MPs in the Lok Sabha and six in the Rajya Sabha, is also mainly responsible for the central government’s backtracking on the foreign direct investment (FDI) plan in retail sector after Banerjee raised a red flag against the key reform measure.
“The Congress by colluding with the Marxists is taking out protest against the state government (because) the Trinamool did not agree with the decision of FDI in retail, the Lokayukta provision in Lokpal bill and oil price hike,” an angry Banerjee said.
She lashed out at the Congress for not putting the anti-graft legislation to vote in the Rajya Sabha, which could have been defeated in the wake of all round opposition.
Banerjee also reminded the Congress of her party’s importance in the UPA saying the Trinamool had the majority to run the state government and didn’t need the Congress support.