The Congress veteran said the party’s district units will decide on the alliance of municipal polls though the final say will rest with the state Congress.

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee is known to be in favour of a state-level alliance for the upcoming polls for 82 municipal bodies, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

“Assembly and parliamentary polls are different from the municipal ones. These are small elections where local sentiments and special local conditions, including personal charisma, work. Therefore, it will be the district Congress which will now take decisions,” said Pranab Mukherjee after a two-hour meeting with district leaders and WBPCC office-bearers at the state Congress headquarters, Bidhan Bhavan.

Asked when the talks with Mamata Banerjee will take place, Mukherjee said, “You all will know when we will hold the talks. She is our alliance partner.”

Interestingly, Banerjee recently said that state-level talks will be held on the basis of which all seat-sharing will be finalised. She had even deputed Mukul Roy, Sanjay Bakshi and Partho Chatterjee to hold talks with Congress leaders.

The Union finance minister also sought to end the controversy regarding Congress working president Subrata Mukherjee’s recent visit to Banerjee’s residence. “There is no scope of any controversy. He explained his stand and we are satisfied. He went there to initiate primary level talks on seat-sharing in the municipal elections,” said the Union minister. The meeting also discussed the ongoing membership drive in the state. Regarding the state government’s announcement of reservation for Muslims, Mukherjee said, “I am not a man of the state government. Why ask me?”

Asked regarding the controversy involving actor Shah Rukh Khan, Mukherjee said: ‘Freedom of speech is guaranteed under the Constitution as a Fundamental Right.”

Hope to check rising prices soon, says Mukherjee
Claiming that the rising prices of essential commodities will be controlled soon, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the government has identified the imbalance between demand and supply.

Mukherjee, who was speaking on the sidelines after receiving the Indira Gandhi gold plaque at Asiatic Society, said it will take some time for benefits to reach the common people. “There was an imbalance between demand and supply and the Centre has taken note of that. Some people were taking advantage of the situation and the government has taken the initiative to increase the supply to achieve a balance with the demand,” Mukherjee said.

“A committee has been formed and the entire situation is being reviewed. We hope to control the spiralling prices very soon,” he said.

“The Centre has taken some concrete steps, including liberalising imports and removal of duties. The Public Distribution System has been revamped so that the people get the benefits of the measures taken by the government,” said the Union minister who is also the chairman of the planning board of Asiatic Society.

Earlier, Mukherjee was conferred with the prestigious Indira Gandhi Gold Plaque for his significant contribution towards human progress and international understanding.