After a prolonged war of words, there are clear signs of a newfound love fest between the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government and the Trinamool Congress. The shift in the relationship is all too evident during the ongoing budget session of Parliament where, instead of staging angry protests like in the winter session, Trinamool MPs are far more mellow.
Just months ago, the relationship was very different. The implication of Trinamool ministers in the probe into the Saradha chit fund scam by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the BJP’s persistent efforts to expand its footprint in West Bengal had rattled West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who launched an all-out war against the saffron outfit. While she focused her attack against the BJP in her home state, her party MPs took the lead in protesting against the NDA government in Parliament.
From carrying black umbrellas into Parliament to highlight the government’s unfulfilled promise of bringing back black money to brandishing red diaries to suggest that BJP president Amit Shah’s name figured in a red diary recovered from Sahara chief Subrata Roy, the Trinamool MPs never lost an opportunity to disrupt Parliament and hit out at the ruling alliance.
But there was a sea change in their conduct in the budget session. While the Trinamool Congress continued with its opposition to the land acquisition bill, the earlier belligerence was missing.
Deserting the opposition
There were virtually no angry protests while the spate of reports about the involvement of Trinamool leaders in the Saradha scam miraculously disappeared from newspapers. The BJP’s dismal performance and the Trinamool’s record victory in the recent civic polls have undoubtedly given greater confidence to Mamata Banerjee who no longer feels the heat from the saffron outfit.
The West Bengal chief minister started warming towards the NDA after she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time on her visit to Delhi during the first half of the budget session. She has now decided to cut short her tour to the state’s districts to enable her to receive Modi at the airport when he reaches Kolkata on May 9 for a two-day visit.
Not just that, the Trinamool Congress has broken ranks with other opposition parties to extend support to the NDA government’s Goods and Services Tax Bill. Earlier this week, Mamata Banerjee’s party voted for the bill ratifying the Indo-Bangla land boundary agreement, although the Trinamool Congress had opposed the pact when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government was in power and had blocked its introduction in Parliament.
In fact, Trinamool MPs are all praise for the manner in which the NDA government handled these two issues. They point out that unlike the UPA government, the NDA had readily agreed to its demand for a special package of Rs 3,008 crore for the rehabilitation of inhabitants of the Indian enclaves in Bangladesh. The Trinamool has also gone along with the government on the coal mines bill as well as the mines and minerals bills after their state was offered monetary incentives.
Batting for the government
According to Trinamool MPs, they decided to support the GST Bill after their doubts about certain provisions were removed and their suggestions incorporated. The Centre has already sent two cheques for about Rs 1,000 crore to West Bengal as compensation for central sales tax.
While several other opposition parties like the Congress, Communist Party of India and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have been steadfast in their demand that the GST Bill be referred to a parliamentary panel for greater scrutiny, the Trinamool is batting for the government. In fact, Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’brien has been openly lobbying with other opposition parties to support the GST Bill.
“We have no reason to block or delay this Bill,” said O’Brien. “All our demands have been met. The NDA ministers have negotiated far better than the UPA on both the Indo-Bangla land agreement and the GST Bill.”
Congress sticks it out
On their part, NDA ministers have worked overtime on wooing regional parties with special packages to create fissures in the opposition ranks. Although they have failed to do so with regard to the land acquisition Bill, they have succeeded on other legislation. Conceding defeat on the land bill, the government is now inclined to give into the opposition demand to refer the bill to a parliamentary panel.
However, it is holding out on the GST Bill as it believes it has successfully isolated the Congress by winning over parties like the Trinamool Congress and the Janata Dal (United). The bill has been cleared by the Lok Sabha but the government faces a challenge in the Rajya Sabha, where it is in a minority.
Since it is a Constitutional amendment Bill, requiring the presence of 50% of the strength of the House and the support of two-thirds of members present and voting, the ruling alliance has to be sure about its numbers. NDA floor managers believe it can get the bill passed as the opposition is not united.
The Congress is also not giving in. It has submitted a notice to the Rajya Sabha chairman along with the Samajwadi Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Bahujan Samaj Party and CPI that the GST Bill be referred to a parliamentary panel. The AIADMK is set to give a similar notice. But the Congress is not taking any chances. Not sure that their demand will be met, the Congress disrupted proceedings in the Rajya Sabha on Friday to demand Shipping and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari’s resignation citing a Comptroller and Auditor General report alleging irregularities in the loans extended to his family’s Purti group of companies.
These protests are likely to continue over the next week ensuring that the Rajya Sabha is unable to conduct any business till the session closes on May 13. In that case, Trinamool’s efforts to garner support for the government will prove to be an exercise in futility.
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Just months ago, the relationship was very different. The implication of Trinamool ministers in the probe into the Saradha chit fund scam by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the BJP’s persistent efforts to expand its footprint in West Bengal had rattled West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who launched an all-out war against the saffron outfit. While she focused her attack against the BJP in her home state, her party MPs took the lead in protesting against the NDA government in Parliament.
From carrying black umbrellas into Parliament to highlight the government’s unfulfilled promise of bringing back black money to brandishing red diaries to suggest that BJP president Amit Shah’s name figured in a red diary recovered from Sahara chief Subrata Roy, the Trinamool MPs never lost an opportunity to disrupt Parliament and hit out at the ruling alliance.
But there was a sea change in their conduct in the budget session. While the Trinamool Congress continued with its opposition to the land acquisition bill, the earlier belligerence was missing.
Deserting the opposition
There were virtually no angry protests while the spate of reports about the involvement of Trinamool leaders in the Saradha scam miraculously disappeared from newspapers. The BJP’s dismal performance and the Trinamool’s record victory in the recent civic polls have undoubtedly given greater confidence to Mamata Banerjee who no longer feels the heat from the saffron outfit.
The West Bengal chief minister started warming towards the NDA after she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time on her visit to Delhi during the first half of the budget session. She has now decided to cut short her tour to the state’s districts to enable her to receive Modi at the airport when he reaches Kolkata on May 9 for a two-day visit.
Not just that, the Trinamool Congress has broken ranks with other opposition parties to extend support to the NDA government’s Goods and Services Tax Bill. Earlier this week, Mamata Banerjee’s party voted for the bill ratifying the Indo-Bangla land boundary agreement, although the Trinamool Congress had opposed the pact when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government was in power and had blocked its introduction in Parliament.
In fact, Trinamool MPs are all praise for the manner in which the NDA government handled these two issues. They point out that unlike the UPA government, the NDA had readily agreed to its demand for a special package of Rs 3,008 crore for the rehabilitation of inhabitants of the Indian enclaves in Bangladesh. The Trinamool has also gone along with the government on the coal mines bill as well as the mines and minerals bills after their state was offered monetary incentives.
Batting for the government
According to Trinamool MPs, they decided to support the GST Bill after their doubts about certain provisions were removed and their suggestions incorporated. The Centre has already sent two cheques for about Rs 1,000 crore to West Bengal as compensation for central sales tax.
While several other opposition parties like the Congress, Communist Party of India and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have been steadfast in their demand that the GST Bill be referred to a parliamentary panel for greater scrutiny, the Trinamool is batting for the government. In fact, Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’brien has been openly lobbying with other opposition parties to support the GST Bill.
“We have no reason to block or delay this Bill,” said O’Brien. “All our demands have been met. The NDA ministers have negotiated far better than the UPA on both the Indo-Bangla land agreement and the GST Bill.”
Congress sticks it out
On their part, NDA ministers have worked overtime on wooing regional parties with special packages to create fissures in the opposition ranks. Although they have failed to do so with regard to the land acquisition Bill, they have succeeded on other legislation. Conceding defeat on the land bill, the government is now inclined to give into the opposition demand to refer the bill to a parliamentary panel.
However, it is holding out on the GST Bill as it believes it has successfully isolated the Congress by winning over parties like the Trinamool Congress and the Janata Dal (United). The bill has been cleared by the Lok Sabha but the government faces a challenge in the Rajya Sabha, where it is in a minority.
Since it is a Constitutional amendment Bill, requiring the presence of 50% of the strength of the House and the support of two-thirds of members present and voting, the ruling alliance has to be sure about its numbers. NDA floor managers believe it can get the bill passed as the opposition is not united.
The Congress is also not giving in. It has submitted a notice to the Rajya Sabha chairman along with the Samajwadi Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Bahujan Samaj Party and CPI that the GST Bill be referred to a parliamentary panel. The AIADMK is set to give a similar notice. But the Congress is not taking any chances. Not sure that their demand will be met, the Congress disrupted proceedings in the Rajya Sabha on Friday to demand Shipping and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari’s resignation citing a Comptroller and Auditor General report alleging irregularities in the loans extended to his family’s Purti group of companies.
These protests are likely to continue over the next week ensuring that the Rajya Sabha is unable to conduct any business till the session closes on May 13. In that case, Trinamool’s efforts to garner support for the government will prove to be an exercise in futility.
