Cong fumes as Mamata breaks ice with Left

In the 294-strong Assembly, at least 34 members are required to move a no-trust motion. The Congress, with 26 members and support of three Independents, needed the 60-strong Trinamool’s backing after three Congress MLAs did not turn up citing personal reasons.

For the Congress, Trinamool’s refusal is a sign of its developing bonhomie with the CPI(M). A day before the proposed move, a Trinamool MLAs’ team, led by Leader of the Opposition Pankaj Banerjee, met CM Buddhadev Bhattacharya to discuss its 10-point charter of demands.

Later, Banerjee said: ‘‘The ice between the two parties has broken. The CM was quite responsive to our demands. He has conceded quite a few. And he has said he would consider favourably the others too.’’ The next day, the Trinamool Legislature Party vanished minutes before the Congress tried to table the motion in the Assembly. ‘‘They vanished like thieves,’’ Mitra said. ‘‘They were so eager to please the Left.’’

The LF thanked Trinamool by deferring the civic elections in Haldia by a day from July 21 to 22, one of Trinamool’s demands.

Mitra, though angry over the no-trust move’s failure, claimed it was a trap to expose Trinamool. ‘‘It was a tactical move. The way they way they were getting close to the CPI(M) — it was to expose them that we tried to table the motion,” he said.

According to the Congress, the Trinamool was formed not to fight the CPI(M) but to decimate its parent party. ‘‘They were interested to see that the Congress in the state tapers off,’’ party general secretary Manas Bhuniya said. ‘‘Now, as the Congress is emerging as a power across the country, they are hobnobbing with the CPI(M) to oust us.’’

Mitra says Trinamool chief Mamata is more interested in a Cabinet berth just when the Centre is planning to bifurcate Eastern Railways.

‘‘Jana Sangha leader Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had stalled a similar move about 50 years ago by organising opposition of all state political parties. Why can’t Mamata say she won’t be a minister unless this is stopped?’’ Mitra said. The CPI(M) is candid that the Trinamool has grown closer to the Left. ‘‘They are responding to the CM’s calls for cooperation on the state’s development,’’ party leader and MLA Robin Dev said.

The Trinamool, however, denied they were getting friendly with the CPI(M). ‘‘We did not support the Congress on the no-confidence motion because they did not discuss it with us beforehand,’’ Pankaj Banerjee said. ‘‘The Trinamool will fight the CPI(M) so that the Marxists go.’’