Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, who played a key role in helping the Congress-led UPA survive at the Centre after the Left withdrew its support, met Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee here on Thursday for a possible political alignment. Both SP and TMC constitute the West Bengal Progressive Secular & Democratic Front among others. “I have requested him to talk to the PM and Sonia Gandhi to ensure that the acquired land for the Tata Motors’ small car project in Singur is returned to the farmers who were never willing to move out and he has agreed to it,” Mamata told reporters after meeting Singh.Mamata said she has also requested Singh to make sure that the Special Economic Zone Act is repealed. “Lakhs of farmers will be harmed if it is not amended,” Mamata said. The two leaders also discussed the entry of organised players in West Bengal’s retail market.Amar Singh said he would participate in the TMC’s September 1 rally to protest against the Left Front Government’s stand allowing Indian private players to enter the retail trade. “I will be by her side. And I will try to bring Mulayam Singhji. We cannot stand by and watch the poor, the small traders suffer while Mukesh Ambani and Wal-Mart sell salt and oil,” Singh said. Both leaders dismissed reports that Singh was in Kolkata as an emissary of the Congress. “I have not come here at the bidding of the Congress high command,” Singh said.
