PC-Roy meet fuels new political equation talks

Sources said Chidambaram had discussed TMC’s renewed demand for financial relief for Bengal,presented by a delegation of 25 TMC MPs to the finance minister just 10 days ago,with the prime minister and was ready to discuss specifics this time.

West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra has been called for a meeting with Chidambaram this week.

“The finance minister wanted some clarification about our demand,which I have presented today. Our state finance minister will be here to discuss further,” Roy told The Indian Express after the meeting.

Roy denied having discussed anything other than financial issues of Bengal with Chidambaram.

Regarding the Left anchoring a federal front of regional parties,Roy said: “It is the Left’s desperate attempt at retaining its diminishing relevance in politics.”

Mamata Banerjee is expected to spell out her stand on national politics at the TMC grand rally called on January 30 in Kolkata.

The Trinamool brass did not comment on its suspended Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh being interrogated by Serious Fraud Investigations Office in connection with the Saradha scam. There was also speculation about the centre wanting more information about whatever Ghosh has been spelling out to investigators.

The TMC seems particularly enraged about re-indexing of states by the Raghuram Rajan committee which did not club West Bengal with the least developed states despite its heavy debt burden of over Rs 2.2 lakh crore.

The re-indexing cuts Bengal’s share of Central funds from 6.93 per cent to 5.5 per cent although Chidambaram had in the last meeting told TMC leaders that the Rajan committee report had not yet been accepted. The Planning Commission has also stated that the report would require approval of the National Development Council (NDC).