West Bengal Finance Minister to miss date with Chidambaram

West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra will not attend a meeting with Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi today when the two leaders were to have discussed a special financial package for the state.

Though no reason was officially cited for his absence,Trinamool Congress sources said Mitra will attend a crucial parliamentary meeting of the party to discuss the Centre’s decision to hike diesel price,restrict of subsidised cooking gas and allow FDI in multi-brand retail and decide the future of the party’s ties with UPA.

The sources said Mitra,along with some senior TMC ministers,will be attending the parliamentary party meeting today to finalise the party’s stand on these issues.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been pressing the Centre for providing a special financial package for her state to help it overcome its huge debt burden.