Apology for Babri no problem

CALCUTTA, Dec 26: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said it expected to begin formal talks with Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerj...

CALCUTTA, Dec 26: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said it expected to begin formal talks with Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee for a poll tie up on December 31 or January 1.

"Since Mamata Banerjee is busy with her organisational matter now and we too are holding our state executive meeting, discussions for poll alignment will take place thereafter" on December 31 or next day, West Bengal BJP chief Tapan Sikdar said.

In a rare political gesture, he said the BJP would not mind Banerjee’s apology for Babri Mosque demolition in the interest of a possible election tie-up with her Trinamul Congress. "BJP has a declared stand on the issue and Banerjee’s statement of including her apology in her manifesto for Babri demolition will not affect our possible election tie-up," he said.

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Analysts felt that Banerjee’s hesitancy on going in for tie-up with the BJP stemmed from her fear of losing sizeable number of minority votes in the state. BJP has already claimed to have initiated talks with her.

Remaining non-committal about the talks, Banerjee merely said, "we will not open up right now when several regional parties and grassroot workers of even the CPI(m) and RSP are approaching us for joining the Save Bengal Front".