Political News: Trinamool decides to boycott Congress meet

The Trinamool Congress has decided to boycott the opposition meeting called by the Congress on Monday morning ahead of the beginning of the Parliament session. Instead, most MPs are expected to attend the working committee meeting chaired by Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata.

Trinamool MP Saugata Roy told ET that the party has decided to chart its own course of action after it found that the Congress’ strategy of opposition unity was ineffective. “We wanted to do this after the assembly elections as we have started expanding nationally, and many Congress leaders have also joined us. The Congress has not moved despite our CM Mamata Banerjee meeting Sonia Gandhi. We can’t keep waiting forever.”

“It is a question of identity. We want to send out a message not just to the Congress that has proven to be ineffective on many counts but also to the BJP that our party is unfettered by threats of investigation, and we will call them out every time they bulldoze parliamentary procedures,” said another Trinamool MP. “Even before this, the bills on retail and FDI got through because the opposition strategy was found wanting. We don’t want to toe anyone’s line as we feel we can come up with better issues and plans, and execute them more effectively,” he added.

“Unlike the Shiv Sena, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, DMK, Left parties, NCP and RJD or others, we aren’t Congress’ partner anywhere and we are under no obligation to toe the Congress party’s line,” another MP said.

The relationship between the Trinamool and Congress has been on a decline lately, with many Congress leaders joining the Trinamool. The Congress on the other hand has alleged that the Trinamool was “helping out” the BJP and undermining the opposition unity.