Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee announced here on Tuesday that her party would withdraw support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre, even as she indicated that the decision might yet be reconsidered if certain demands related to the recent reform measures were met.
“Our party [Ministers] will go to [New Delhi] to submit their resignation on Friday. Today is Tuesday. Let them [the Centre] say, yes, instead of six cylinders we want to give 24 cylinders at least.
Diesel also, they can withdraw the hike and bring down the price by Rs. 3 to 4… Regarding FDI in retail they have to withdraw (sic)…,” Ms. Banerjee said when asked if there was a possibility of her revoking the decision.
Ms. Banerjee said all six Trinamool Ministers would submit their resignations to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at 3 p.m. on Friday.
“We are not staying in UPA-II. It is unfortunate for me to announce all this… We have decided to withdraw support to UPA-II,” Ms. Banerjee told journalists, adding that the unanimous decision was taken at an extended meeting here of all MPs, some Ministers in the State and senior leaders of the party.
She said it “saddened” her to take the decision, but she had given the Congress time to reconsider the reforms.
“I waited… We felt that at least this government will take some decisions, but they did not take those decisions… We were not allowed to stay,” she said.
Ms. Banerjee said she was beginning to wonder whether the recent announcements were a Congress tactic to divert attention from the coal blocks allocation scandal. “Is it a fact that to suppress Coalgate they started this FDI-gate? Is it proper?”
