Mamata Banerjee to hold talks with Sonia Gandhi on govt formation

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will hold discussions with Congress president Sonia Gandhi tomorrow on government formation in West Bengal, where she will take charge as chief minister.

Banerjee, who along with Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee arrived in Delhi from Kolkata late last night, will also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Issues of government formation in West Bengal and Banerjee's successor in the railway ministry are expected to be discussed by the leaders.

The Trinamool Congress wants ally Congress to join the government in West Bengal.

Banerjee had invited Congress to join the new government to be headed by her in West Bengal but Mukherjee said, "We will take a final decision after discussions with the Congress High Command. The decision will be disclosed at the appropriate time."

The Trinamool Congress last night formally staked claim to form the next government in West Bengal shortly after Banerjee was unanimously elected leader of the Trinamool Congress Legislature Party (TCLP).

Banerjee will invite the prime minister and the Congress president to the swearing-in ceremony, the date of which has not been announced yet.

Congress has already given a letter of support to the party.

The Trinamool Congress stormed to power in alliance with the Congress and SUCI on Friday with three-fourths majority, ending 34 years of Left Front rule in West Bengal.