TMC says allies should be consulted before decisions are taken

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Differences between Congress and its UPA partners came to the fore yet again on Wednesday with the Trinamool Congress saying allies should be consulted before any 'far-reaching' decisions are taken by the government.

TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee told reporters outside Parliament that his party chief has Mamta Banerjee already made their stand clear on coalition partners.

"If you want to run a coalition you have to talk to your allies...For any decision having far reaching consequences, you have to talk to your allies," Banerjee said.

These voices from UPA allies have come after differences over NCTC and other issues emerged. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement in the Lok Sabha on compulsions of coalition politics has also ruffled feathers in the alliance.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar had spoken against Singh's statement saying it had caused anguish and unease.

Mamta Banerjee had also said earlier that coalition partners should be given 'izzat (respect)'. Congress has tried to downplay the issue, maintaining that all political parties do not have the same political understanding but this does not mean dissonance between allies.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said the UPA alliance is in a bad shape and allies are unhappy with the Congress.

"UPA alliance is in a bad shape. None of the allies of the Congress are happy. Only Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is happy. It is not clear if this government still enjoys a majority as has been shown in the Parliament. Congress allies are not with it," Hussain said.