For the first time since the Left’s withdrawal of support from the Congress-led UPA, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today met Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Although the meeting focused on the Singur land row, political circles also see this as a potential step towards future alliance between the two parties.
Banerjee, who is spearheading the land agitation in Singur that has stalled Tata’s small car project in Bengal, today requested the Congress chief to intervene in the matter.
“In front of the governor, the state government had agreed on a package. But now they have violated the agreement and unilaterally declared an alternative plan,” she told Gandhi.
After the meeting, she reaffirmed her resolve that the state government will have to give back the Singur land to unwilling farmers.
Banerjee has even demanded that the UPA government should issue a directive to the Left-ruled West Bengal government as it has done in Orissa and Karnataka recently.
“The Centre can’t sit silent as the governor is a central representative. This also involves large number of farmers,” said Banerjee during the 30 minute-long meeting.
She claimed that Gandhi gave her a patient hearing and said that even her party is concerned about the plight of the farmers.
Banerjee also claimed that there has not been any ‘political’ talk between the two sides today and no discussion on future alliances took place. The state Congress, however, is very keen to join hands with Banerjee for the forthcoming Assembly polls.
As Gandhi has also asked her to meet the Prime Minister, Banerjee will again come to Delhi in the middle of October to talk to the president and the prime minister on this issue.
