Mamata set aside rivalry to ask MPs to back CPM amendment

“Mamatadi told us to set our egos aside and vote in favour of the amendment moved by CPM,” said a TMC leader. TMC leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien said: “This wondrous Parliamentary democracy of ours has a mechanism to deliver strong messages to the government. Today the united opposition did that”.

The decision to move the amendments was taken in a meeting of opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday morning. Congress’s Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, JD (U)’s Sharad Yadav, SP’s Ramgopal Yadav and TMC’s O’brien were present. It was there that the decision to go the whole hog on the black money amendment was taken.

Even after backroom manoeuvres, the opposition was not sure of being able to push the amendment through. Finally, a calculation was made tallying their own members present against the numbers of the NDA from the attendance register. By the time the PM was speaking, the Opposition were certain that the numbers were in their favour.

Mamata is scheduled to meet the PM Wednesday for seeking a financial package for the state.