Despite possible tie-up at central level, Bengal Cong won't be nice to Trinamool
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently urged members of her party, the All India Trinamool Congress, to go soft on the Congress. The reason? The possibility of a tie-up between the parties for the upcoming Presidential polls, which arose after her meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
However, the move has not been reciprocated, at least at the state level. The Congress, along with its ally the CPI(M), decided to bring in a no confidence motion against the Trinamool Congress government in Assembly on Wednesday against the atrocities perpetrated by the ruling government.
The motion was submitted at the Speaker's office by the Opposition parties. On Thursday, members of both parties are set to stage a walkout from the floor of the House.
Mannan talks tough
Bengal Congress leaders said that they will continue their opposition against the state government, despite the AITC's soft stand.
Abdul Mannan, the Leader of the Opposition, said: “We will continue our agitation against the state government for their atrocities perpetrated against our workers during the municipal elections, as well as the police atrocities against the Left workers during the Nabanna Abhiyan. Whatever equation the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has with the AITC is a separate matter; it has nothing to do with us. We will continue our agitation.”
Political analyst Amol Mukherjee said: “The Bengal Congress might bring a no-confidence motion in the Assembly, but it will not affect the equation between the AICC and the AITC, as there is a need for a strong alliance at the Centre to counter the BJP."
It may be mentioned here that on 19 May, Banerjee had met Mannan at his chamber in the West Bengal Assembly after her return from Delhi. The meeting had lasted for half an hour, and had raised speculation that the AITC and the Bengal Congress might join hands for the Assembly session.
Political posturing
Partha Chatterjee, state parliamentary affairs minister, said: “The Bengal Congress can oppose our policies, but our Chief Minister has already told us to remain soft on Congress, and we will continue our stand, no matter what they do. We have already complained to the Speaker of the Assembly that as a result of walkouts by Opposition leaders, Assembly proceedings are being hampered. He should take immediate steps.”
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty, on the other hand, said: “We will continue our agitation and opposition against the state government, as we are still don't understand why MLAs were not allowed to enter Nabanna (the state secretariat), and how the police can arrest Opposition MLAs when the Assembly is in session. In Bengal, democracy has collapsed. We will fight tooth and nail to restore democracy to the state.”
First published: 24 May 2017, 19:23 IST