Praise for Narendra Modi, stick for Trinamool: Dinesh Trivedi cosies up to BJP

Trivedi asserted that he was still with Trinamool, but did not deny having been in touch with BJP.

“I have good friends across all parties, I am in touch with everybody. It is not about opportunism but about opportunity,” said Trivedi. (Source: PTI)

Notwithstanding his party’s eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with BJP, Trinamool MP and former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi on Tuesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “man with a vision”. “I have still not quit the party,” he said about reports that he is on the verge of joining the saffron outfit.

“Entire world is looking at Narendra Modi and India as the engine of growth and Modi is trying to make it real. He has a vision. Something is changing about the way the world looks at India. That is because of Modi. This is not a time for negativity but to work positively,” Trivedi told The Indian Express.

Trivedi asserted that he was still with Trinamool, but did not deny having been in touch with BJP. “I have good friends across all parties, I am in touch with everybody. It is not about opportunism but about opportunity,” he added.

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His party though chose not to react to the statement. TMC spokesman Derek O’ Brien gave a one word response to his Modi praise: “Ignored”.

Trivedi has maintained a low profile since he was forced to quit after he proposed a railway fare hike in the 2012 railway budget going against the instructions of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee. There was speculation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections that he may not get a ticket from Barrackpore, but eventually the suave Gujarati businessman managed to win the party supremo over. He made appearances when Mamata came visiting twice over the last two months, but mostly stayed away from Trinamool’s protest at Parliament during the Winter Session.

Trinamool sources said that despite his certificate to Modi on a day when BJP president Amit Shah launched a fresh attack on Mamata Banerjee government at his Burdwan rally, the party supremo may not precipitate the situation. “It would be left to Dineshji to decide on his future plans and the party may not draw first blood,” said a top party leader.

Answering a direct question if he was joining BJP, Trivedi said: “This is a bit early to say this. But as of now I have not quit.” He is due to reach Delhi on Tuesday night.

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He stopped at his praise on Modi, choosing not to repeat what he had said in Gujarat on a stage he shared with Modi’s brother. There he had reportedly said that his party – Trinamool Congress – had lost a golden opportunity by not joining in this process (of building India) because of individual ego problems. Skirting references to his speech at a medical camp in Kutch in Gujarat from where he hails, Trivedi said: “Now I am open about this. That l will speak my mind out if I do not like things. I cannot stoop low. I have sanskars and education left in me.”

Meanwhile, Jyotipriya Mullick, WB food minister and TMC district president of North 24 Pargana from where Trivedi 2014 elections, spoke to him in the morning. “‘I too was alarmed after reading his speech in a Gujarati media. I called him. And he said that it was a wild speculation,” said Mullick.

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