Trinamool pins hope on Sonia for joint movement

Kolkata, Oct 16 (UNI) The Trinamool Congress today exuded confidence that the issue of secularism would not be a stumbling block in the formation of a movement of the two main opposition forces against the Left Government in West Bengal, who await the approval of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

''The issue of secularism should not come in the way of a joint movement of the two parties against the Left Front Government. Both the Congress and Trinamool Congress are secular. We are sure that Ms Sonia Gandhi will give us full support,'' senior Trinamool leader Ajit Panja said.

Talking to reporters a day after the Pradesh Congress agreed to go for a joint movement with the Trinamool against acquisition of farm land for industry, Mr Panja was all praise for Congress President Sonia Gandhi, but remained non-committal about the proposal of the Congress for a ''secular democratic alliance''.

Mr Panja was accompanied by Trinamool Congress Legislature Party leader Partha Chatterjee and party General Secretary Mukul Roy, MP.

Yesterday the Congress state Secretariat decided to go for a joint movement with Ms Banerjee's party, pending approval from the AICC.

The Congress decision came in the wake of an appeal of Ms Banerjee, who has been spearheading a movement against acquisition of agricultrual land for Tata Motors' small car project.

Mr Panja said Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee had a telephonic conversation with PCC working president Pradip Bhattacharjee last evening regarding the proposed joint movement. Mr Bhattacharjee leaves for Delhi tomorrow to hold talks with AICC General Secretary in-charge for West Bengal Margaret Alva on the issue.

Sensing that any further opposition to the small car factory could be counter productive, the Congress decided that the party would not continue to take a hard stand against this particular project, but would play on a broader plank opposing acquisition of agricultural land as a whole.

As both the Trinamool and the Congress were mauled by the CPI(M) led Left coalition in the assembly elections five months ago despite having bagged a combined 49 per cent votes, serious thoughts were being given at both ends for the possibility of regrouping to keep undivided the anti-left vote bank in future polls, keeping at distance the BJP.

Beginning the process of amending the mistakes of the past, both the parties came to an unofficial seat adjustment during the by-elections to three Lok Sabha and one assembly seats last month.

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