Mamata urges Rahul to hold Oppn meet to clear air over rift

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee PTI Photo

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to hold a meeting of all opposition parties in the last week of December, sources have said. The move comes at a time when unity of the Opposition, which joined hands to stall Parliament over the demonetisation issue, took a beating after Rahul led a Congress delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over farmers’ issues.

According to a source, Mamata has communicated to Rahul the need for a meeting of opposition parties to counter reports “being spun by BJP of a Congress-Modi understanding after the meeting”. At the end of the meeting, Rahul had handed over to the Prime Minister a memorandum, seeking loan waiver for farmers and an increase in the minimum support price of crops.

“The meeting is being used by the BJP to try and create differences within the opposition. If the opposition meets, this could be countered,” said the source.

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A senior TMC leader said: “People are dying and it would send out a wrong signal if the Opposition were to enjoy the winter break. The Opposition needs to continue the fight against the Centre. The Congress should hold the meeting and we will raise these issues.”

Sources said Mamata is unlikely to attend the meeting in Delhi and would be sending senior leaders of the party.
The TMC is also likely to raise the issue of cash-in-hand with political parties.