Cong-TMS alliance at breaking point?

Cong-TMS alliance at breaking point?

31 Jan 2012, 0856 hrs IST, AGENCIES

In another sign of the growing strains between the Trinamool and Congress, Mamata Banerjee targeted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday (Jan 30) for not calling her during the Singur agitation, saying it was perhaps not to annoy her arch rival, CPI-M. "During my fast on the Singur land issue, the Prime Minister did not call me. Perhaps he did not want to annoy the CPI(M)," Banerjee remarked during an interview aired on three Bengali news channels. Banerjee said the Prime Minister had promised to give central funds for West Bengal's developmental activities when he visited the state. This was followed up by a visit by Pranab Mukherjee. "Since then, I have only seen newspaper headlines about such a package," she said, suggesting that things have not moved forward. In Lucknow, the Congress refused to be drawn into a war of words with its ally. "I assure her that Prime Minister and Pranab Mukherjee, if they have made any commitments even before the elections to the people of West Bengal, it will be implemented," party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said. Banerjee, however, went on to say that Trinamool Congress is a "responsible" constituent of the UPA coalition. "We have a responsibility to maintain the alliance. But we also have a responsibility to the people who have elected us. We have told this to the Prime Minister too," she said. The Trinamool Congress carried out its activities based on policies, she said adding, "That is why we have protested against issues like entry of FDI in retail and hike in petrol prices which directly affected the people. But some Congress leaders of the state were working like the CPI(M)." She also wondered where the Government would get money to implement the Food Security Act, if it comes into force. In reply to a question, Banerjee said that the Centre had not given any financial package to the state since her Government came to power. "The Centre has not given us anything. Before the election, the Prime Minister had said the state will get help. I have held five meetings with Pranab Mukherjee. The media also wrote that big help was coming. Nothing happened. But I am against begging and we will hold our heads high in whatever we do," she said. Knowing the clout she wields, Banerjee has been pressing the Centre for extending massive financial package to her state for speeding up development and other activities. She said the Centre took away revenue from Income Tax and the state's only sources of revenue were sales tax and state excise. "My priority is to bring about a turnaround in Bengal. In the past eight months since my Government took over, we have achieved 21 per cent growth. The Centre has not given us anything. Whatever we have done, we have done on our own. Despite financial difficulties, we have paid the salary to our employees and 10 per cent of arrears DA," she said. The Chief Minister defended her party's opposition to the Lokpal Bill. "When the draft bill was discussed, we were told that the Lokayukta aspect would be left to the states. But in the Lok Sabha, the Government said states setting up Lokayuktas will have to follow a model formulated by the Centre. It should be left to the states. Why should they interfere in the Centre-state relations?" she asked. Banerjee said she had also opposed FDI in retail as many people were associated with the business. "I am sure the media is also opposed to this." "If we have a responsibility to keep the Centre in power, we also have a responsibility to take a stand if it takes any anti-people measures," she said. To drive home her point, Banerjee said Congress was in a minority at the Centre and was running the Government with the support of the Trinamool Congress. "We have only one cabinet minister. There are five ministers of state, but they are hardly given any work. Our party does not even have a room in Parliament," she lamented. http://www.timesnow.tv/Cong-TMS-alliance-at-breaking-point/articleshow/4394822.cms