M A I N   N E W S

Deadline over, Mamata may not pull the plug
Anita Katyal/TNS

New Delhi, September 17
While Finance Minister P Chidambaram today categorically stated there was no going back on its recent reforms measures, the Congress was working behind the scenes to mollify its angry ally, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, whose 72-hour deadline to the Centre for rolling back its decisions expired today.

The parliamentary party meeting of the TMC is to be held in Kolkata tomorrow to chalk out its future course of action. Mamata is insisting that the Centre should review its decisions to hike the price of diesel by Rs 5, put cap on LPG cylinder supply and allow FDI in multi-brand retail. Trinamool Congress minister Sultan Ahmed maintained the party had three options before it: withdraw support to the UPA, pull out its ministers from the government or ask its ministers to not attend office.

However, a confident Chidambaram declared there was no threat to the UPA government and that the Centre will be able to convince its allies about the need for continuing with these measures. The UPA’s optimism stems from the fact that Mamata has been calling up senior Union Ministers during the last two days to pursue the pending state projects and the financial package being finalised by the ruling combine for the cash-strapped West Bengal government.

Pointing to the various options being bandied around by the Trinamool, Congress sources said it actually suggested that Mamata is not yet ready to pull the plug on the UPA government.

UPA sources indicated the Centre could raise the cap on LPG cylinders from six to 10 to placate Mamata but said there was little room for a review of the other two measures. The Centre also plans to finalise the package for West Bengal soon.

Senior Congress leaders, led by Ahmed Patel, are in touch with Mamata.

There was widespread speculation that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would call up Mamata Banerjee in this regard but there was no word on such a conversation till late Monday.

Pacifying the TMC chief

• The Congress was working behind the scenes to mollify the angry Trinamool chief. Senior Congress leaders, led by Ahmed Patel, are in touch with Mamata
• Chidambaram on Monday said the Centre will be able to convince its allies about the need for continuing with reform measures
• The UPA’s optimism stems from the fact that Mamata has been calling up senior Union Ministers to pursue the pending state projects and the financial package being finalised by the ruling combine for the cash-strapped West Bengal