With the Congress taking out a procession in the city against alleged attacks on its supporters by the Trinamool Congress, the discord between the two parties has come into the open.
Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh said here on Sunday that his party knew its boundaries and did not need “sermons” from anyone in this regard.
The leadership of the two parties entered into a war of words after Friday's procession. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee “reminded” the Congress that it needed the support of the Trinamool at the Centre, whereas her party enjoyed a majority in West Bengal. Mr. Ramesh, however, pointed out the need for better “co-ordination between the Centre and State.”
Mr. Ramesh said the alliance led by the Congress was running the government at the Centre. As long as there was co-ordination between the Centre and State governments, it would be beneficial to both, he said.
Ms. Banerjee objected to the Congress taking out a rally but Mr. Ramesh said that his party had the right to function freely.
“We are a political party. We are not an NGO, we are not monks. The work that a political party must do, we shall do it,” Mr. Ramesh said. Asserting that the Congress had not taken VRS or ‘sanyas' from the State and would not take unsolicited advice from anyone, he, however, said the party “will not cross its boundaries because it also has to run a government.”
Now, the focus is on the coming panchayat elections and whether the two parties will come to a seat-sharing agreement in the 2013 rural polls.
All India Congress Committee general secretary Shakeel Ahmed said the central leadership of the party would back the decision made by the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC).
It is well known that a section of the WBPCC is opposed to the alliance with the Trinamool. Many voiced their concerns at a convention organised by the WBPCC on Panchayati Raj.
At the convention, Mr. Ramesh said the State would be given sufficient funds for rural development. He said his Ministry spent nearly Rs. 1 lakh-crore on rural development, of which West Bengal's share was only Rs. 4,000 crore.
“If one considers the population of West Bengal, which is 9.5 crore, then we should have spent Rs. 9,000 crore,” Mr. Ramesh said, claiming that the reason for the huge gap was the State government's failure to demand its share.
Mr. Ramesh said the Centre had listed Paschim Medinipur as one of the 60 districts affected by left-wing extremism.
