Mamata unhappy over Jaya8217;s terms

NEW DELHI, MARCH 12: Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has conveyed to the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP that her party will not agree ...

NEW DELHI, MARCH 12: Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has conveyed to the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP that her party will not agree to Jayalalitha8217;s condition that the finance portfolio be given to someone of her choice. Mamata8217;s argument: 8220;Our government should run on principles and programmes and not on personal agendas.8221;

Mamata made this clear after her party expressed its 8220;collective reservation8221; over Jayalalitha8217;s tantrums coming in the way of the formation of the next government.

Another ally, the Samata Party, accused Jayalalitha of sending negative signals. 8220;She is making our coalition look vulnerable from Day One,8221; said a Samata Party MP from Bihar. He claimed that Vajpayee had indicated that he would even give up his claim than 8220;succumb8221; to such tantrums.

Who becomes the finance minister is important for Mamata since among her many demands are an investigation into the alleged diversion of panchayat funds in West Bengal and assurances that the Centre would be more liberal instate grants. Therefore, according to a leader of the Trinamul Congress, it8217;s imperative that the finance minister be someone the party can turn to and not one person8217;s individual choice.

Some allies claim that Jayalalitha has got upset at the inclusion of 8220;some stern measures8221; in the national agenda which has been circulated by the BJP. The agenda states: 8220;We will take suitable steps to ensure harmonious Centre-state relations in the light of the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission.8221; This amounts to a commitment against dismissal of state governments except in rare circumstances.

On corruption, the most vital issue that Jayalalitha faces, the national agenda states: 8220;We will enact the Lok Pal Bill with adequate powers to deal with corruption charges against anyone, including the prime minister. In respect of all pending cases of corruption, we will allow the law to take its own course.8221; This, allies say, has not gone down well with Jayalalitha8217;s demands for withdrawal of cases against her 8211;both by the Central Bureau of Investigation and agencies under the finance ministry.