June 1: Old habits die hard. So it came as no surprise when Union railway minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee decided to skip the Cabinet meeting here on Tuesday even though she’d returned to the Capital after a long gap. She, however, did go to the PM’s 7, Race Course Road residence in the evening for the release of the UPA-1 report card.
As for her party’s on-off relations with the Congress, Mamatadi was back to her somewhat mellow self on Tuesday, saying nice things about her ally. Just three weeks ago, she was all fire and brimstone against the Congress in Kolkata in the run-up to the civic polls in West Bengal after the two parties failed to have a jot (alliance).
She had then accused a section within the Congress of being in league with the CPI(M) and trying to humiliate her party. On Monday, she was a picture of amiability as far as the Congress is concerned stating, “There are no differences between Trinamul Congress and Congress. We are absolutely comfortable...I have great respect for the Prime Minister.” Ms Banerjee, her absences from the Capital becoming legendary owing to her West Bengal-centric politics, had returned to the Capital on Monday evening from Kolkata after over three weeks during which she missed all the Cabinet meetings that were held. Tuesday morning’s Cabinet meeting had been called to take a decision on imposing President’s rule in Jharkhand.
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Trinamul chief denies Maoist role
Age Correspondent
New Delhi
June 1: Railway minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee continues to remain reluctant to blame the Maoists for last week’s strike on the Gyaneswari Express despite Union minister of home, P. Chidambaram having said on Monday that he suspected the Maoists as being responsible for the attack.
Ms Banerjee has refused to accuse the Maoists for the attack that left over a 100 dead despite their widely suspected involvement. The Trinamul leader, however, told reporters in the Capital on Tuesday: “I do not know whether it is the Maoists who were behind the attack. But whoever is behind the attacks should be punished.”