The Trinamool Congress—the troublesome ally of the Congress in the second UPA—has promised not to oppose the government on the contentious Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill. Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee last night to dispel apprehensions in the Congress quarters about the stand of the Trinamool on this issue.
In the meeting, that lasted for almost half an hour and dwelled on various issues, Banerjee categorically told Mukherjee—UPA’s main troubleshooter—that apprehensions about her party’s position were baseless. Congress floor managers were worried when they saw many Trinamool MPs absent in the Lok Sabha on Monday when the opposition united to attack the UPA over the introduction of the Bill. The UPA had to withdraw the Bill as it feared being outnumbered in case the Opposition pressed for a vote in the introductory stage itself.
With 19 MPs, the Trinamool Congress is the largest ally of the Congress in the second UPA.
Banerjee’s aides told Business Standard that at the meeting she even told the finance minister that her party had not yet read the Bill elaborately and so the question of opposing the Bill did not arise.
Banerjee’s party has started opposing the proposed nuclear power plant in the southern part of West Bengal as the Left-ruled Bengal government is keen to see a Russia-built reactor there.
Banerjee’s party has also been assured that the proposed law is not any country or reactor specific but an umbrella legislation for all future civil nuclear power projects.
The Railway Minister had also discussed the issue of service tax on railway freight movement with the FM last night. Banerjee wants the FM to continue the service tax exemptions on the freight movement. The Finance ministry may allow the railway to expand its list of “exempted items” but it is averse to complete roll back of the decision to re-impose service tax.
Banerjee’s assurances come at a time when the UPA is facing the heat from an united opposition including outside supporters like the Samajwadi Party (SP). The government has already beat a retreat on Monday over this Bill but it may attempt to push it again in the upcoming second half of the Budget session of Parliament.
The Congress needs to garner full support of the allies to sail it through the Lok Sabha as the opponents of the Bill are unlikely to change their minds.
