M A I N   N E W S

Mamata threatens to form separate block

CALCUTTA, Dec 18 (UNI) — Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today threatened to form a separate block within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to force the BJP to adhere to the NDA agenda on the Ayodhya issue.

Speaking to reporters, Ms Banerjee also said most of the smaller partners of the NDA would stand by the original agenda, even if the BJP deviated from it by pursuing the contentious issue.

“There is a definite group within the NDA, which is strongly opposed to going ahead with the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Neither do the Trinamool Congress nor the Telugu Desam or parties like the National Conference and the DMK want it to happen. We will unite to make the BJP fall in line,’’ she said.

“The smaller allies of the NDA would continue to abide by the agenda, formulated during the formation of the coalition, notwithstanding any deviation by the BJP,’’ she iterated.

Ms Banerjee’s remarks came close on the heels of her recent outburst against the Prime Minister’s statement that the BJP would push through its agenda of building a Ram temple at Ayodhya.

Ms Banerjee, who had been voicing some demands in favour of the Muslims, including job reservation, over the past few months, said at an Iftaar party on Saturday last that the NDA’s agenda was sacrosanct and the BJP had no right to deviate from it.

Will BJP play ball with Mamata?
From T.R. Ramachandran
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 18 — Union Railways Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is caught in a catch-22 situation: whether to sever her links with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the run-up to the assembly elections in West Bengal or take an extended sabbath from her ministerial duties and responsibilities.

Realising that achieving her ambition of becoming the Chief Minister of West Bengal is taking some queer twists and turns every passing day, Ms Banerjee is caught in a bind which is entirely of her own making.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Ayodhya controversy apart, she feels calling it quits with the NDA in the next four to six weeks after having come this far might be disastrous because the threat of a split in the Trinamool Congress is no longer subterranean.

Ms Banerjee has suffered a setback because of her now on and now off resignation from the Vajpayee government at the drop of a hat. The view gaining ground even in her own borough is that she is indulging in these theatrics for gaining sympathy and perking up her sagging image in West Bengal.

With Mr Jyoti Basu having passed on the reigns of leadership of the Left Front to Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Ms Banerjee has been caught on the wrong foot. Beginning with a clean slate, Mr Bhattacharjee has unleashed a campaign in earnest and managed to catch the imagination of CPM activists in the state’s interiors.

On the other hand, the BJP and some other allies in the NDA are having serious doubts about her commitment to the Vajpayee government at the Centre. A section of senior BJP leaders firmly believe that Ms Banerjee is “keeping her options open about abandoning the NDA when she thinks the opportune and convenient moment has arrived.” They apprehend she is waiting for the winter session of Parliament to conclude.

It is apparent that the BJP has taken into calculation that it might have to fight the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal without riding piggyback on the Trinamool Congress.

Ms Banerjee’s biggest worry is that if she does not secure the support of the minority Muslims who constitute about 24 per cent of the population in West Bengal, she will be left by the wayside in the leadership stakes in Calcutta.

At the same time, she has floundered in taking forward her own announcement of providing reservation for the minorities, especially the Muslims on the Railways. This issue which received support from the Left parties has hit a major road block in the Union Finance Ministry.

Further, Ms Banerjee has been warned by the influential Muslim clergy in Calcutta and elsewhere in West Bengal that she can write off the minority support if she continues to associate herself with the BJP-led NDA. Mr Vajpayee’s assertion that the unfinished task of constructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya is in keeping with national sentiments has facilitated the Muslim leadership in firming up its views.

Ms Banerjee is inevitably caught in a complex political logjam from which there is no easy way out. Trinamool Congress sources insist that a way out for their leader is to give up the ministership for a while so that she can provide undivided attention to electioneering in her home state. That way, it is perceived, she will lessen the adverse fallout if she steers clear of presenting the Railway Budget for 2000-2001.

There is no doubt that she will contest for the state assembly. If in the final analysis, she and her combine fail to dislodge the Left Front government in West Bengal, she can return to her charge in Rail Bhavan in the national capital.

The million dollar question is whether the BJP is willing to play ball with Ms Banerjee all the way?