After months of public bickering with the Congress, West Bengal Chief
Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has announced that
her party will go it alone for the next elections in the state.
Addressing a rally in Kolkata today, Ms Banerjee, who is a key partner of the Congress-led UPA coalition at the Centre, said, "We will fight elections alone. We are not here because of anyone's charity and not because of the Congress. In Bengal, we will fight alone. We want the Congress to be with us but they are verbally attacking us every day. TMC will not tolerate that, so we will fight alone."
Ms Banerjee however added that her party's alliance with the Congress would continue at the Centre. "We are in alliance with UPA in Delhi and we will remain there," she said. Trinamool partners the Congress both in the state and at the Centre. In West Bengal though, the Congress is a junior partner in the government.
The Chief Minister has for months been demanding a big financial bailout for her debt-ridden state, making several trips to Delhi, but has been unable to get it. At the rally today, she seemed to be unhappy about it. "I have told Delhi don't neglect West Bengal. We don't want charity. We know how to snatch what is ours. We know how to get rights. We will not pay debt to Delhi. We are trying to organise that. If necessary, all MPs and MLAs of my party will go to Delhi in a 'Dilli Chalo' demonstration to demand the state's rights. We need money to create jobs in West Bengal," she said.
Reacting to Ms Banerjee's comments, Congress' Shakeel Ahmed said she had not said anything wrong and agreed that mutual respect was essential for any alliance. "She wants respect. Congress also wants respect. Mamata Ji has said right things. We agree with her. We must respect each other's sentiments," he said. Mr Ahmed is the Congress' in-charge for the state.
However, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Pradip Bhattacharya said the challenge thrown by Ms Banerjee was accepted.
"We are least bothered. If she so decides, she can go ahead and fight alone. We have the guts to contest on our own strength. We are prepared to fight alone. We accept the challenge."
Interestingly, the Congress was not invited for the Kolkata rally which is being held today to mark Shahid Diwas - the day commemorates the death of 13 Youth Congress supporters in police firing on July 21, 1993. Ms Banerjee, at the time, was the leader of the Youth Congress in the state and had led a procession to lay siege at the Writers' Buildings, the state secretariat, in the city. The police and the demonstrators had clashed at Mayo Road, resulting in police opening fire that killed 13.
The latest announcement by the Chief Minister comes in the wake of a string of episodes that have seen both parties teetering dangerously on break point. Most recently, the presidential polls saw Ms Banerjee standing firmly opposite the Congress as she continued to reject the latter's candidate, Pranab Mukherjee, till she finally came around to pledge her support to him - albeit with a "heavy heart". But during this period, the relationship between the allies saw a new low after the Trinamool chief came out with her own list of presidential probables that, among others, included Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This was a grave question mark on the credibility of the PM - a sign of a loss of faith in him - not least from one of its most importantly partner, something that was a huge embarrassment for the Congress.
But the incident was clearly not new to the Congress which has been held hostage by Ms Banerjee on several occasions. Her strong opposition to key legislations and policy decisions has led to several important reforms being put on the backburner - Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail and pension bill being some of the notable ones.
Addressing a rally in Kolkata today, Ms Banerjee, who is a key partner of the Congress-led UPA coalition at the Centre, said, "We will fight elections alone. We are not here because of anyone's charity and not because of the Congress. In Bengal, we will fight alone. We want the Congress to be with us but they are verbally attacking us every day. TMC will not tolerate that, so we will fight alone."
Ms Banerjee however added that her party's alliance with the Congress would continue at the Centre. "We are in alliance with UPA in Delhi and we will remain there," she said. Trinamool partners the Congress both in the state and at the Centre. In West Bengal though, the Congress is a junior partner in the government.
The Chief Minister has for months been demanding a big financial bailout for her debt-ridden state, making several trips to Delhi, but has been unable to get it. At the rally today, she seemed to be unhappy about it. "I have told Delhi don't neglect West Bengal. We don't want charity. We know how to snatch what is ours. We know how to get rights. We will not pay debt to Delhi. We are trying to organise that. If necessary, all MPs and MLAs of my party will go to Delhi in a 'Dilli Chalo' demonstration to demand the state's rights. We need money to create jobs in West Bengal," she said.
Reacting to Ms Banerjee's comments, Congress' Shakeel Ahmed said she had not said anything wrong and agreed that mutual respect was essential for any alliance. "She wants respect. Congress also wants respect. Mamata Ji has said right things. We agree with her. We must respect each other's sentiments," he said. Mr Ahmed is the Congress' in-charge for the state.
However, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Pradip Bhattacharya said the challenge thrown by Ms Banerjee was accepted.
"We are least bothered. If she so decides, she can go ahead and fight alone. We have the guts to contest on our own strength. We are prepared to fight alone. We accept the challenge."
Interestingly, the Congress was not invited for the Kolkata rally which is being held today to mark Shahid Diwas - the day commemorates the death of 13 Youth Congress supporters in police firing on July 21, 1993. Ms Banerjee, at the time, was the leader of the Youth Congress in the state and had led a procession to lay siege at the Writers' Buildings, the state secretariat, in the city. The police and the demonstrators had clashed at Mayo Road, resulting in police opening fire that killed 13.
The latest announcement by the Chief Minister comes in the wake of a string of episodes that have seen both parties teetering dangerously on break point. Most recently, the presidential polls saw Ms Banerjee standing firmly opposite the Congress as she continued to reject the latter's candidate, Pranab Mukherjee, till she finally came around to pledge her support to him - albeit with a "heavy heart". But during this period, the relationship between the allies saw a new low after the Trinamool chief came out with her own list of presidential probables that, among others, included Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This was a grave question mark on the credibility of the PM - a sign of a loss of faith in him - not least from one of its most importantly partner, something that was a huge embarrassment for the Congress.
But the incident was clearly not new to the Congress which has been held hostage by Ms Banerjee on several occasions. Her strong opposition to key legislations and policy decisions has led to several important reforms being put on the backburner - Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail and pension bill being some of the notable ones.
