Upping her ante against the Congress-led UPA government for not yet providing money to bail out cash-strapped Bengal, chief minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday instructed her party MPs to raise the issue in the Monsoon Session of Parliament and fight for the special financial package. “You have to be more vocal to press for the demands of our state. You have to go all out to ensure the special economic aid which was promised by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before the Assembly election to help revive the state’s financial health, be granted,” Ms Banerjee was quoted as saying to her party MPs in a closed-door meeting at the Maharashtra Nivas Hall in the city.
She also attacked Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee’s reported comment that he cannot provide funds to her government by going beyond constitutional provisions, and asserted that the state was only “demanding its due” and not begging. “Many governments have increased prices after the conclusion of elections. During the polls, they do not increase prices. But as soon as it is over, the governments increases the prices, be it the NDA or the incumbent UPA,” a miffed Ms Banerjee said, adding that despite the difficult financial crunch, her government will not levy excess cess or taxes. Meanwhile, the Trinamul Congress chief warned her party leaders to not misuse the name of the party. “The Trinamul Congress has come into power after many of our leaders, workers and supporters sacrificed their lives. Don’t misuse the name of the Trinamul Congress for any purpose,” Ms Banerjee made it clear to them.
In a second round of meeting with party MLAs and leaders, the Trinamul Congress chief cautioned not to encourage any factional feud in the party. “Now, we are in the government after a long struggle. People of the state have huge expectation from us. You should try to meet their expectation,” she reportedly said.