Senior BJP MP Rajnath Singh on Monday exhorted West Bengal chief minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to dump the UPA because the Centre was continuously disregarding her demand for an economic bailout package. He went so far as to say that if the Trinamul Congress MPs raised this issue in Parliament then his party would back them. Speaking to The Asian Age in Kolkata, although Mr Singh denied that he was trying to wean away the Trinamul Congress from the Congress coalition with an eye on the next Lok Sabha polls, Mr Singh’s statement may be an early signal of a new political equation which may take shape in near future.
Asserting that the BJP believed that Ms Banerjee’s demand for a special economic package was “justified and genuine”, Mr Singh said: “She has inherited `2 lakh crore debt left behind by the Left Front government. The total plan budget outlay of her government is `21,000 crore and it is being made to pay `22,000 crore as interest payment and loan repayment to the Centre. Then how will she run the government? Why should Mamataji be punished for the sins of her predecessor Communist government?” he asked.
Mr Singh said that when other countries of the European Union could come to the rescue of a bankrupt Greece then could Congress not bail out the Bengal government. “ The government which is running with your help is constantly ignoring your genuine demand. Then what is the point in being a part of the UPA. Mamataji is a true Tagore lover then why she does not follow his advice: ekla chalo re,” he added. When asked if there was a chance that the Trinamul Congress would return to the BJP-led NDA since, Mr Singh said: “ Hone ko to sab kuch ho sakta. The BJP’s politics, however, is not just aimed at power. Ham sarkar banane ke liye nahin desh banane ke liye rajniti karte hain.” Mr Singh who backed Ms Banerjee’s bail out demand, also released a booklet at the rally which the state BJP described as “chargesheet” against her government, saying it had failed on almost all fronts. “She has failed on all fronts, health, education and law and order,” state BJP president Rahul Sinha said.