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Mamata may insist on leaving the NDA

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Trinamul chief Mamata Banerjee, who finds that her party's presence in the National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party could hinder her political ambitions in West Bengal, is likely to go on her own, according to a confidential intelligence report. Breaking away from the BJP, she hopes, will help her woo the Muslim votes in the state.

The report, submitted by the Intelligence Bureau to the ministry of home affairs, has emphasised that Mamata is not finding her party's continuance in the ruling coalition beneficial, as underlined by Muslim leaders who recently joined her party.

"Of course we are keen to attract Muslim votes in Bengal. Our party already enjoys tremendous goodwill among them, and our political strategy has to be tuned according to this ground reality," pointed out the Trinamul's Lok Sabha leader Sudip Bandopadhyay.

He, however, did not spell out what his party's future strategy would be. But he added that "we are keen to make a good showing in the state assembly elections".

But the NDA may not let her go all that easily.

"If the PM can roll back the price of liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene as demanded by Mamata, naturally he is keen that her party should stay within the NDA," pointed out BJP general secretary Narendra Modi.

He, however, was not willing to comment on the Trinamul's compulsions in the light of the assembly elections in West Bengal.

Nevertheless, BJP leaders from the state are learnt to have apprised the party high command that the Trinamul chief is veering round to the view that her party may have to plough a lonely furrow in the state.

Trinamul leader Akbar Ali Khondekar is learnt to have impressed upon Mamata that the Muslim community is waiting to see the Trinamul's next move.

The IB report has underscored that after obtaining the views of her senior party colleagues, Mamata has realised that the votes of the Muslim are crucial for her party to take on the CPM in the state.

Predictably, Saturday's train accident has spurred the CPM to taunt Mamata and clamour for her resignation as railway minister. Even the CPM's pater familias, octogenarian Jyoti Basu, took a dig at her by stating that she was shirking her responsibilities.

"As usual, the Marxists are trying to drive a wedge between the Trinamul and the BJP but they will be frustrated," remarked BJP spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra.

He said the CPM had been "rattled" by the Trinamul's electoral performance in recent months and it was doing everything to break the alliance.

Significantly, Mamata has not hidden her view that ministerial responsibilities have hindered her party work.

"I don't think the Vajpayee government's stability will be adversely affected because of the recent political developments. However, the government is not taking any chances on its numerical strength in the Lok Sabha being disturbed," commented BJP leader Jagdish Prasad Mathur.

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