CM: Will complete rly projects after getting back portfolio

She also hinted that her party would be increasing its seat-tally and hence would be in a better position to bargain for the Railway Ministry. Even before she walked out of the UPA II government,Mamata and the Congress decided to fight the upcoming panchayat polls in Bengal separately. In her speech on Friday,Banerjee sharpened her attack against the central government by saying that the Centre is not sending adequate funds for the NREGA scheme and that it is also deducting a major part of the government revenue.

Mamata uttering several times that the general elections would be held in three months has triggered huge speculation in political circles. This is not for the first time that the Trinamool Congress chief has hinted at an early Parliament elections after her party quit the UPA – II in September 2012. Earlier,she had claimed that the elections would be held soon after the pujas in 2012. Senior Congress leader in the state like Dr Omprakash Mishra said: “Everybody is entitled to day dream. Our chief minister is not an exception. TMC was trying to destabilise the UPA government and sabotage its prospect. This game plan completely failed. The government is more resolute after the exit of TMC. The elections would be held when it is due and TMC is going to forfeit whatever advantages it had enjoyed having 19 members in the Lok Sabha.”

Rahul Sinha,state BJP president said,“We have a feeling that the general elections can be held in advance. But as far as TMC’s stand is concerned,we are not sure. Earlier,we heard that the Prime Minister will be selected from TMC. Now the TMC leaders have come down to the portfolio of Railway Minister. For getting a portfolio,Mamata Banerjee has to join either Congress or another party. It is high time,she cleared her stand and told people with which party she is teaming up.”

GJM withdraws call for bandh in Hills

The Gorkha Jamamukti Morcha (GJM) has withdrawn its agitation programme in the Hills which was to start with a two-day bandh on March 14-15. The GJM decision was announced Friday after the leaders met in Kurseong in Darjeeling. The withdrawal comes in response to the President and other central Congress leadership’s request to suspend all such programmes and restore normalcy in the Hills.

A PIL was heard at the Calcutta High court on Friday against the bandh calls given in the Hills. The PIL,moved by Darjeeling Tarai Doors Gorkhali Aadiwasi Welfare Society last week,urged the high court to intervene and make the state government take steps to maintain normalcy in public life in the Hill region of Darjeeling,Kurseong and Kalimpong.

The GJM had given a call for bandh on March 14-15 and March 21-22 in the Hills of Darjeeling district. The GJM had also called for the closure of government offices from March 9 to March 27.

Advocate Debasish Banerjee,counsel of the petitioner,pleaded that forceful bandh was illegal,so the bandh called by the GJM should be banned by the high court. Since no counsel from the GJM appeared in the court,the division bench headed by the Chief Justice Arun Mishra would hear the argument on Monday. The state too ensured the division bench about the steps to be taken to maintain normalcy in the Hills.

Meanwhile,Governor M K Narayanan,while addressing the Assembly,said that the government’s move to hand over administrative,financial and legal powers to the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) was in an advanced stage. The governor also noted that the government has successfully conducted the polls in the Hills peacefully and the region had witnessed a record number of tourists this season.