Addressing a rally at Jantar Mantar here against FDI and some other decisions of the UPA
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today said her party planned to bring a no-confidence motion against it in the next session of Parliament.
She also announced nationwide campaign against the central government. As part of this plan, TMC will hold a 48-hour dharna on November 22 and 23 in Delhi.
Rally which was attended by NDA convenor Sharad Yadav, she said she had “heard” that the general elections could be held in March next year, much ahead of the scheduled 2014.
Banerjee said that the UPA government is working against the interests of common people because of multinationals like Walmart and being vindictive against those raising their voice by misusing CBI.
“We also don’t want this government. Parliament session is coming… If need be, we are ready for bringing a no-confidence motion against this government,” she said.
Talking about her decision to pull out, Banerjee said, “I realised that by supporting this (government) the struggle of my life will come to an end… We don’t need ministries but we need nation.”
Trinamool Congress has 19 members in Lok Sabha.
“I would request other political parties not to support this government.. We will tell (Samajwadi Party chief) Mulayam (Singh Yadav) that we don’t want this government,” she said.
Samajwadi Party, with 21 members in the Lok Sabha, is supporting UPA from outside and is crucial for its survival.
Banerjee, whose party organised the protest against FDI in retail, diesel price hike and LPG cap, said she could also bring a resolution in Parliament against these decisions if these were not withdrawn.
“I am ready to work with other parties to bring a resolution against the government in the next session of Parliament…” she said.
Sharad Yadav showered praise on Trinamool chief, saying she had been instrumental in stopping implementation of FDI in retail when such a decision was taken in November last.
“Opposition leaders had requested Mamata to take a decision on FDI as we lacked the numbers to oppose its implementation… Mamata’s effort to stop FDI in retail will go down in history… She represents honesty and no one else has the ability to take so much risk,” the NDA Convenor said.
Though Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party is against FDI in retail, it has said it will stand by the UPA to keep the “communal forces” of the opposition BJP from coming to power. Sharad Yadav’s Janata Dal (United) is a major ally of the BJP and the coalition it leads, the NDA.
Meanwhile, Congress today advised Mamata to “evolve from a street fighter to a statesman” pointing to ‘divergence’ in Trinamool Congress’ stand.
“There comes a time in the life of every political party and politician when you have to evolve from an agitator to an administrator…from a street fighter to a statesman. These are personal decisions and a matter of self introspection. We want to leave to her only this very small suggestion,”party spokesperson Manish Tewari told media here.