Mamata Banerjee Quits Upa Ii; Tmc Ministers To Resign On Friday

[Gachibowli_Diwakar]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and the biggest ally in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government pulled out of the ruling coalition on Tuesday, escalating a political firestorm over big-ticket reform measures launched last week to revive country's flagging economy.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Mamata also accused the Congress of unilateralism in decision making and decided to walk out of [/size][/font][/color][url="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/UPA-II"]UPA II[/url][color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]alliance.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]"We are withdrawing our support. Our ministers will go to Delhi, meet the Prime Minister and tender their resignations at 3 PM," TMC chief [/size][/font][/color][url="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Mamata-Banerjee"]Mamata Banerjee[/url][color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]announced after a meeting of party MPs, top leaders and office bearers.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Mamata had demanded the government reverse its decision to raise diesel prices and open the country's supermarket sector to investment from foreign chains such as Wal-Mart Stores.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Mamata had earlier issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the UPA government to immediately roll back the hike announced in the diesel prices, LPG cap and [/size][/font][/color][url="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/FDI-in-retail"]FDI in retail[/url][color=#404040][font=arial][size=3] and threatened to take a tough action if the centre refuses to act swiftly on her party's demands.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]The meeting, attended by all Trinamool members of the [/size][/font][/color][url="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Lok-Sabha"]Lok Sabha[/url][color=#404040][font=arial][size=3] and the Rajya Sabha along with senior party leaders and ministers of the state cabinet was held at the historic Town Hall auditorium.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Mamata's withdrawal and that of her 19 MPs in the lower house of parliament is unlikely to destabilise the government in the short term as Singh's Congress party can count on other parties for support. But it might embolden Banerjee and other parties to intensify ongoing protests against unpopular economic policies that the government sees as crucial to reining in a bloated fiscal deficit and improving investor sentiment.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]"The government has lost their credentials. If they cannot keep their friendship with us, they cannot keep it with anyone," Banerjee told reporters after a meeting of her Trinamool Congress party (TMC) in the eastern city of Kolkata, where her state government is based.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Banerjee has also withdrawn half a dozen ministers in the government, the most high profile being the railways ministry portfolio. They will submit their resignations on Friday, she said. The government said the implementation of FDI in multi brand retail remained a prerogative of the states.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Mamata has already described the reform package as "anti-people", saying a hike in diesel prices will spur inflation and that the opening of the retail sector to foreign multi-nationals will hurt millions of small traders.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Mamata had said she does not wish to topple the central government, while [/size][/font][/color][url="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Finance-Minister"]Finance Minister[/url][url="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/P.-Chidamabram"]P. Chidamabram[/url][color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]on Monday expressed confidence that the reforms would be pushed through.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Opposition parties ranging from Left to the Right will hold a nation-wide strike on Thursday to protest against reforms in retail on the grounds that super-chains like Wal-Mart and Tesco will obliterate thousands of kirana stores and the livelihood of many small farmers.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Banerjee came to power in West Bengal in 2011, ending more than three decades of Communist rule in the state. Colloquially known as "Didi", or "elder sister", Banerjee's supporters hail her as a champion of India's poor and dispossessed. But her politics are a thorn in the side of the government. Her protests had been instrumental in blocking a slew of economic measures, from retail reform to allowing foreign direct investment into India's aviation and insurance sectors.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]"We waited enough time," Banerjee said. "They have to withdraw FDI in retail if they want us to stay, they have reverse their decisions on LPG subsidy and diesel hike."[/size][/font][/color]

[url="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/mamata-banerjee-quits-upa-ii-tmc-ministers-to-resign-on-friday/articleshow/16452608.cms"]http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/mamata-banerjee-quits-upa-ii-tmc-ministers-to-resign-on-friday/articleshow/16452608.cms[/url]

[Gachibowli_Diwakar]

Govt padipothundhi emo central lo

[Gachibowli_Diwakar]

[color=#404040][font=arial][size=3]Mamata's withdrawal and that of her 19 MPs in the lower house of parliament is unlikely to destabilise the government in the short term as Singh's Congress party can count on other parties for support. But it might embolden Banerjee and other parties to intensify ongoing protests against unpopular economic policies that the government sees as crucial to reining in a bloated fiscal deficit and improving investor sentiment.[/size][/font][/color]

[chicago]

Malli consider chesthamu anaru