Mamata snubs Rahul, upsets Cong

Congress leaders who were unhappy with Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee’s refusal to campaign for its candidates in the state, are now angry. This is because Ms Banerjee did not turn up at Rahul Gandhi’s campaigns in Murshidabad and Bankura on May 2.
The Trinamool, however, has said that there was no formal invitation to Mamata to join Rahul’s election meetings.

Though Mamata was present in two campaigns — at Murshidabad with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on April 26 and at Dumurjala with PM Manmohan Singh on May 30 — state Congress leaders are angry with this ‘selective’ sharing of dais.

“What does this signify? Mamata will enjoy the benefits of the mass appeal of Sonia Gandhi or the Prime Minister by participating in joint campaigns, but when it comes to canvassing for the 14 Congress candidates, she will conveniently be absent,” said a senior WBPCC general secretary. “This goes against any seat-sharing agreement.”

According to the Congress functionary, Mamata’s refusal is rather unfortunate given that Rahul Gandhi had described her as a mass leader during a tour on April 25.

Senior state Congress leader Shankar Singh feels such political opportunism became inevitable after Congress succumbed to her and accepted seat-sharing on her terms. “Many Congress workers were unhappy with that and such developments are bound to demoralise them,” said Singh.