Congress to join Mamata ministry

New Delhi, May 19: Congress is understood to have decided to join the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal.

The number of Congress representatives in the coalition ministry ill depend on its size, Congress sources said on Wednesday, May 19.

They said a formal decision on Congress' participation in the Mamata-led government will be taken in the CLP meeting on Thursday in Kolkata.

The CLP meeting is likely to be attended among others senior leader Shakeel Ahmed who is in-charge of party affairs in the state, WBPCC chief Manas Bhuiyan said.

During her meeting with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee at the weekend, Mamata had invited Congress to join her government and the issue had figured in meetings Mukherjee and Ahmed had with newly-elected Congress MLAs and PCC leaders in Kolkata on Saturday and Sunday last.

PCC President Manas Bhuiyan on Wednesday had a meeting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi here and later said he had briefed her on the post-poll scenario in the state and "will await her directions" on the course of action, including government formation.

Asked whether the party had any hesitation in joining the government, Bhuiyan said "there is no hesitation at all. We will await directions (from the party high command). We have already expressed our total support to the Trinamool Congress government."

"We will get to know whatever is to be decided (on joining the ministry). Wait for a day or two," Bhuiyan said, parrying questions on how many berths or who among the Congress MLAs were likely to be inducted.

PTI