Trinamool to weigh option on joining govt post polls

Trinamool Congress will decide after Lok Sabha polls whether to join the government in case a Congress-led alliance comes to power even as its chief Mamata Banerjee hit out at BJP accusing it of being "responsible" for demolition of Babri Masjid and post-Godhra riots.

Holding that she has never "hankered" for a ministerial berth, she said, "It is too early to decide on the issue. The party will take a decision after the election. If not I, there are others in my party who could be ministers."

Describing her erstwhile ally BJP as a party with 'bad' policies aimed at dividing people, Banerjee said, "I do not say that all in BJP are bad but their policies are bad.

"Their greatest wrongdoings were the demolition of Babri Masjid and Gujarat riots," she said yesterday.

Banerjee, whose party has forged an alliance with Congress for the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, blamed the Gujarat riots for her party's humiliating defeat in 2004 parliamentary polls. "Our poor showing was because we had remained in the NDA."

On Varun Gandhi's alleged hate speech at Pilibhit, she said "his comments are not proper. It is wrong to hurt religious sentiments of another community. This is the policy of BJP to divide the people, which is also followed in West Bengal by CPI(M).

"At the same time, I do not want that there should be vindictive action against Varun Gandhi. I hope he will realise that what he has done was not proper."

Referring to Leftists, Banerjee said, "I do not say that Leftists are bad. But one section of Leftists are power- hungry and are letting loose atrocities to cling to power.

"When the same government remains in power for 32 years, democracy cannot be strengthened," she said.

 Banerjee said she respected CPI(M) patriarch Jyoti Basu who had called her to his residence for a discussion on Nandigram and Singur.

 Under their seat adjustment pact in the state, TC is fielding candidates in 28 constituencies while Congress in 14.