Trinamool has every right to its decision, so has UPA: Sharad Pawar

Agricultural Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said Trinamool Congress, which has withdrawn support from UPA government over FDI in retail issue, had every right to take its own decision and work for it and so has the UPA government to persist with its policy.

"TMC has every right to finalise own decision and work for it. We (UPA government) also have every right to continue with our policy and we are working on that," Pawar, who had a one-to-one discussion with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said.

He said that though the Trinamool Congress chief was no longer an ally of UPA he would continue to have good relations with her. "I will continue to maintain my personal relations with her."

Pawar said that as Agricultural Minister of the country he would support every state, including Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal, for the development of agriculture.

Pawar praised the rice procurement programme undertaken by the Mamata Banerjee government and said it was for the first time that the state had contributed 15 lakh tonnes of rice to the national kitty.

"This is the first time West Bengal has contributed to the national kitty", he said.

Pawar said he had "one-to-one discussions with the West Bengal chief minister" in the course of a meeting of the committee of the chief ministers of seven eastern states on the centrally-sponsored programme of 'Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India'.

Pawar said that during the meeting, Banerjee gave many suggestions for agricultural development.

He said she proposed the setting up a co-ordination committee which would include power, water resources, agricultural and other related ministries to achieve more agricultural production.

This was a 'very valuable suggestion', Pawar said adding "I will put this before the Prime Minister tomorrow or the day after."

Banerjee and agriculture ministers of UP, Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Jharkhand represented by their chief ministers were present at the meeting.