TMC ministers to tender resignation at 3 pm tomorrow: Mamata

New Delhi, Sept 20:

said at the state secretariat in Kolkata on Thursday that six of her ministers will tender their resignation by 3 pm on Friday. She said they had sought an appointment with President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday to inform the latter about their formal withdrawal of support from the

government. The UPA government will be reduced to a minority once the Trinamool formally pulls out.

Banerjee announced on Tuesday that her party would pull out from the UPA government after the Congress-led alliance at the Centre raised prices of diesel, decided to cap the number of subsidised LPG cylinders and allow FDI in multi-brand retail and other sectors.

An NDTV report, however, said the senior Trinamool leader and a central minister Saugata Roy might have opened a way of reconciliation between Mamata Banerjee and the Congress-led government, which was reduced to a working minority after Trinamool's pull out. Roy said if the Centre made some considerations on demands placed by the Trinamool, the latter could also reconsider the situation. He said the government, however, did not make any positive movement on this.

Trinamool sources said there was a considerable difference in the party over the pull out issue. While some ministers said that the party could have protested by asking its ministers to resign from the government and not pull out, an MP said they could protest on the streets in Delhi against the central government’s decision. Some said giving up the railway ministry would be unwise, particularly after the fact that several projects had been announced in the state budget. But it is believed that Banerjee had made up her mind of pulling out of the UPA government.

Mamata Banerjee also slammed the Left Front for calling the strike. She said she was happy that government employees attended the work in a large number despite the strike. "It is good to see the resurgent work culture in this state," she said.

Banerjee hit out at the UPA government over its policies, saying it was anti-poor. She said her party opposed the UPA's decision but did not support strike, either. The CM said the state's economy suffered seriously because of strikes in the past and added that her government will bring in tough law to curb disruption of transport services during strike.

Banerjee also accused the central government of trying to tap her phone. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, however, denied Mamata's claims.

OneIndia News