New Delhi: Congress is understood to have
decided to join the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West
Bengal.
The number of Congress representatives in the coalition
ministry ill depend on its size, Congress sources said
tonight.
They said a formal decision on Congress` participation
in the Mamata-ledgovernment will be taken in the CLP meeting
tomorrow in Kolkata.
The CLP meeting is likely to be attended among others
senior leader Shakeel Ahmed who is in-charge of party affairs
in the state, WBPCC chief Manas Bhuiyan said.
During her meeting with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee
at the weekend, Mamata had invited Congress to join her
government and the issue had figured in meetings Mukherjee and
Ahmed had with newly-elected Congress MLAs and PCC leaders in
Kolkata on Saturday and Sunday last.
PCC President Manas Bhuiyan today had a meeting with
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi here and later said he had briefed
her on the post-poll scenario in the state and "will await her
directions" on the course of action, including government
formation.
Asked whether the party had any hesitation in joining the
government, Bhuiyan said "there is no hesitation at all. ...
We will await directions (from the party high command). We
have already expressed our total support to the Trinamool
Congress government."
"We will get to know whatever is to be decided (on joining
the ministry). Wait for a day or two," Bhuiyan said, parrying
questions on how many berths or who among the Congress MLAs
were likely to be inducted.
PTI
