rediff.com: Why Mamata had a change of heart


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September 22, 2000

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Why Mamata had a change of heart

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The Congress' lukewarm response to a Trinamul Congress demand for imposition of President's rule in West Bengal is responsible for Mamata Banerjee's change of heart, top Bharatiya Janata Party functionaries confirmed in New Delhi on Friday.

"The Trinamul chief has realised that the Congress was insincere about President's rule in West Bengal. In case the issue is put to vote in the Rajya Sabha, she knows that the Congress could well back out at the crucial moment. Our leaders (Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani) have told her that the Centre was willing to impose central rule in the state provided Mamata secured Congress support," a senior BJP vice-president told rediff.com.

He, however, pointed out that the Trinamul chief has been assured that the Vajpayee government was "actively contemplating'' declaring five districts in West Bengal disturbed areas considering continuing violence and the issue would figure at Saturday's Union Cabinet meeting.

He pointed out that senior government law officers, including the attorney-general, would attend the meeting.

"It is a distinct possibility," the vice-president said, on whether the Centre would declare several districts of West Bengal disturbed areas.

It is understood that the defiant tone and tenor of West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu's recent reply to Advani's letter seeking clarifications about law and order in the state had convinced the government that the former was spoiling for a confrontation with the Centre.

"Basu has been in power for well over two decades and it is regrettable that he has used impolite language while replying to Advaniji," said former BJP vice-president and now member of its national executive Jagdish Prasad Mathur He contended that while the government was all for congenial Centre-state relations, "it does not appreciate rude conduct."

According to BJP sources, the government was doing its utmost to assure the Trinamul chief that it was exploring all avenues for ending violence, allegedly fanned by the Communist Party of India-Marxist to consolidate its "slackening grip'' on the state. They claimed that after being fully apprised with ground realities and the BJP-led government's position, Mamata had more or less effected a climb-down.

She had been distracted as various Congress leaders in West Bengal voiced concern over growing violence and demanded central rule. State pradesh Congress committee chief Pranab Mukherjee too lent his voice against the deteriorating law and order.

However, central Congress spokesman Ajit Jogi on Thursday sought to put all speculation at rest by asserting that "as long as the Trinamul is associated with the BJP and is part of the National Democratic Alliance, we will have no truck with it in any way."

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