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Supporters feel Mamata is making a mistake

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's decision not to join the government could prove to be a historical blunder, which she will have to rue at leisure, political observers said in New Delhi on Monday.

These observers, mostly sympathisers of the Trinamool, congregated outside Mamata's residence opposite Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi.

"If the prime minister does not change his mind to accommodate didi (Mamata as she is popularly known) in his Cabinet, she is up a dirty creek without a paddle," observed Montu Ray, a Trinamool activist, who has been with the party from its inception.

Many of her ardent supporters had gathered outside her flat ever since she literally stormed out from Vajpayee's Race Course Road residence after her talks with him broke down.

"It is a historical blunder. She is an astute leader and should not have acted impulsively. After all, beggars cannot be choosers and her party's well-being will largely depend on what course the prime minister will take," said a septuagenarian party activist.

"There are number of senior BJP MPs who have been frustrated in their endeavour for a ministerial berth, but they have not thoughtlessly burnt their bridges with Vajpayee. He is the ring master and Mamata should not have lost track of that vital fact," he pointed out.

Trinamool insiders told rediff.com that Mamata was now thinking that her party should support the Vajpayee government from outside like the Telugu Desam Party with the obvious objective of keeping the prime minister on tenterhooks.

"That would be foolish because the Trinamool's nine MPs do not really matter to Vajpayee, whose government's numerical strength in the Lok Sabha is well above the 300 mark," Ray said.

Besides, Mamata is no Nara Chandrababu Naidu, he added.

The Complete Coverage: Cabinet Reshuffle 2002

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