M A I N   N E W S

Will she, won’t she? Cong awaits Didi’s next move
Tribune News Service

Tuesday, the D-day

The TMC supremo has convened a meeting of the parliamentary party on Tuesday to take a final call on withdrawing from the UPA government The 72-hour deadline set by Mamata for the Centre to rethink on its diesel hike and retail FDI decisions expires on Tuesday Mamata has threatened a “firm step” in case of no rollback and may pull out her ministers from UPA govt

New Delhi, September 16
The Trinamool Congress, a key UPA ally, is keeping Congress political managers guessing in what shape her threat of a “firm step” will materialise in the event of the government not rolling back the hike in diesel price and FDI in multi-brand retail.

Reports emanating from Kolkata, quoting sources in the party, suggest that the warning could manifest in TMC supremo asking her ministers to withdraw from the Manmohan Singh government.

Upset over fresh reform measures announced by the government, Mamata had on Saturday given a 72-hour deadline to the Central Government to rethink or face a “tough decision”. Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh said Mamata Banerjee has convened a meeting of the parliamentary party on Tuesday to take a final call in this regard.

“Yes, we need reforms. But reforms do not mean putting up everything on sale to satisfy some individuals. In a democratic set-up, reforms must reach the poor and common man,” Banerjee wrote on her party’s official Facebook page. While the developed countries have many social security schemes, in India such elaborate measures are nowhere to be seen, she said.

She dubbed the “big bang” reforms announced by the government as “anti-people.” Banerjee maintained that her party is determined to fight for the cause of the common man.

Top sources in the Congress said the government may have to do “something” to address Mamata’s concern.