PM under Lokpal hardly matters: Mamata Banerjee

Inclusion of prime minister or chief justice of India in the ambit of the Lokpal "hardly matters" in the fight against corruption, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said today.

"It is not a big question...whether the prime minister or chief justice is included, it hardly matters. Do you think that inclusion of one person will strengthen the fight against corruption?" she asked.

However, she also said that in case the prime minister was included in the ambit of Lokpal, "I have no problem. I am with the UPA."

To a question, she denied that she had blamed civil society groups for enacting "drama" on the issue of corruption.

In an apparent dig at civil society, she had yesterday said: "Our party is against corruption. But we are also against creating drama."

To another question, Banerjee said, "If anyone says all politicians are corrupt, then let them join politics."

Pressing for a comprehensive package to check the menace of corruption at all levels, Trinamool Congress chief demanded that the money illegally stashed abroad should be brought back.

She also suggested that electoral reform measures be carried out by the Election Commission and said state funding of polls would go a long way to curb the use of black money in the electoral process.