Mukherjee went to Banerjee’s Kalighat residence on Tuesday and held a meeting apparently over the seat-sharing deal for the forthcoming elections to 82 municipalities. The entire episode, however, took place keeping all other state party leaders in the dark and before the state Congress’s internal meeting over the issue.

The move, meanwhile, gave rise to speculations in political circles that Mukherjee, who flip-flopped a number of times from Congress to Trinamool and vice versa, held the meeting to ensure his berth in the mayoral post of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), which he held under the Trinamool banner in 2000-2005.

Reliable sources in the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) said the AICC had sought a detailed report of Mukherjee’s meeting with Banerjee. The AICC has also asked the state party leaders not to go for any talks with the Trinamool Congress chief before February 8, when the Union Finance Minister and WBPCC president Pranab Mukherjee is supposed to hold talks with the state party leaders on the civic election issue, sources added.

“AICC general secretary in-charge of West Bengal, K Keshav Rao, has been informed of Tuesday’s meeting. Rao knows everything and it is our party high command which has the authority to speak on the issue,” WBPCC working president Pradip Bhattacharjee told The Indian Express when asked whether the party will initiate any disciplinary action against Mukherjee.

It has been learnt that the AICC leadership has disapproved of Mukherjee’s act. “Banerjee did not have the courtesy to meet Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, when the two had visited Kolkata recently. There was no point meeting Banerjee before our party’s meeting with the WBPCC president. Moreover, it is the state leadership of our party which will select our leaders for holding talks with Banerjee,” said a senior state Congress leader, who is also an AICC member.

It is expected that Mukherjee will be asked to explain the reasons that had compelled him to meet Banerjee before the state Congress meeting on February 8.

“We have no power to initiate action against Mukherjee as he is also an AICC member. Naturally, action, if any, should come from our party high command,” said a senior AICC member, who is also a secretariat member of the WBPCC.

Trinamool chief not for Muslim development, only their votes: CPM
The ruling CPM on Wednesday accused Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee of using minority issues for furthering her electoral ambitions. This after Banerjee demanded reservation for Muslims in government jobs.

Referring to the Ranganath Commission report on religious and linguistic minorities, CPM spokesman Md Selim said Banerjee has intention for the development of the minorities, but she is raising such issues to garner votes. “We have welcomed the recommendations of Ranganath Mishra Commission report. We are sure the report has virtually recommended reservations for those who require it. They may be Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and others, but she is demanding reservation for Muslims with an eye on the minority votes,” said Selim.