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Her deliberate attempt to keep herself away from the Congress leaders and constant criticism of the Congress-led government at the Centre on issues ranging from price rise and Naxal threat in West Bengal has fuelled rumours of the rift between the alliance partners that performed extraordinarily well in the last Lok Sabha elections.
“Of late, she (Mamata) is repeatedly attacking the Centre on various counts, be it Maoist problem or the law and order situation in Bengal or price hike. She has deliberately ignored Soniaji and Manmohanji. This is sending a wrong message to the people of Bengal regarding the alliance,” said a senior Congress leader.
The local Congress leaders have already conveyed their disappointment over Trinamool chief’s behaviour to the Prime Minister when they met him at the Raj Bhavan during his recent visit to the city.
“What she fails to understand is that this will give mileage to the CPM,” the Congress leader added.
The growing distance between the two alliance partners comes ahead of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls and next year’s Assembly elections that will be a litmus test for the alliance in general and Trinamool Congress in particular.
The Trinamool Congress, however, justifies its party chief’s behaviour. According to party leaders, Banerjee is disappointed over the Centre’s half-hearted approach in tackling the “law and order problem” in the state, which is a result of the frequent political clashes between CPM and Trinamool cadres in several parts of the state.
“The Centre has sided with the Left Front government. We demanded imposition of Article 356 (Centre’s rule) in the state, but the Centre did not heed to our demand. Our party supporters are being murdered here by CPM cadres everyday, and the Union Home Ministry is looking the other way,” said a senior Trinamool Congress leader who did not wish to be quoted.
* On January 19, when almost the entire political gamut was in Kolkata, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, to pay last respects to veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu, Mamata Banerjee spent the day at her Kalighat residence.
* On January 16, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Kolkata to preside over a number of programmes, including inauguration of the second campus of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Centre of Asian Studies and St Xavier’s 150th Foundation Year celebration programme. But Mamata did not attend the functions despite being invited. She instead organised a rally in the city lambasting the Centre for failing to tackle the Maoist problem, law and order situation in Bengal.
* On January 7, the Prime Minister made a sudden visit to the city after Basu was admitted to the AMRI Hospital in a critical condition. Then too, Mamata, a Cabinet minister in the UPA government, preferred not to meet the PM. She, according to sources, avoided the Prime Minister because Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee accompanied him to the hospital in the same car.
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Its not secret that trinamool congress has gained excellent support from the people in W.B. Their perfomance in the last elections were extraordinary and the results aren't too pleasing for CPI. No doubt why this lead to conflicts..
It is true that at present Mamta Banerjee is quite popular in West Bengal but her eratic behaviour and quick change attitude is such to send a opinion and message as if she thinks herself a Super Political Leader, which is NOT correct. When ever she has been entrusted with a right and important job in Central Govt., she failed to justify the position and confidence with which she needs to administrate. She is definately not fit to be Chief Minister of West Bengal neither at present not in future. Better the right thinking people of W.B. give this important position to a balanced, experienced and a mind and thinking individual competent like present GOVERNOR OF WEST BENGAL. To be good, honest, simple, popular and mass support ONLY will not bring any thing good for the future good of West Bengal.
Trinamool Congress Party is a splinter party of Congress and most of the leaders are behaving like jokers. They do not have any programme nor they have any plan to develop West Bengal. It was Mamata Banerjee who herself got false doctrate certificate how can she prove to be an honest and sincere in her work.Many MLA & MPs have criminal nexus background.It is too early too say any thing good about this party.