Zeenews Bureau
Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress’ parliamentary party is meeting here on Friday, ahead of Parliament`s Budget Session beginning on Monday.
However, the meeting has assumed significance following party leader and Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi’s remarks on mid-term polls.
Trivedi had yesterday asserted that Trinamool will not rock the UPA boat, clarifying his earlier remarks that the country may head for a mid-term poll and the Union government was lame duck created a flutter in political circles. "I have given my opinion as an individual, not as a minister or a Trinamool Congress member," Trivedi said yesterday, a day after claiming that after the results of Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party and even the Trinamool Congress would want to see a mid-term poll so that they "can increase their tally" in Parliament.
Trivedi also said that Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is "not the person who will rock the (UPA) boat".
Leaders close to Mamata expressed annoyance at Trivedi`s statement ahead of the Budget Session. Congress sought to downplay Trivedi`s remarks, saying the UPA government at the Centre will last its full term.
Congress leaders and Union Ministers Jayanthi Natarajan and Rajeev Shukla said the government was "very much stable" and the Lok Sabha elections will take place only in 2014.
"We have very good relationship with all our allies. The Congress president has already said that we`ll continue to engage with all our allies and that this government will last its full term," Natarajan said.
Talking to a leading English daily on Wednesday, Trivedi had said, "Why only TMC? I feel after yesterday`s (Tuesday’s) results...if I was Samajwadi Party, I would be very happy to have a general election tomorrow so I can increase my tally because I have the momentum. The Trinamool Congress may also be happy to have a mid-term poll now rather than two years later.
"If there is a perception that there is an anti-Congress feeling (in the country), then, obviously, even the BJP would want an election now. So if everybody wants an election, there will be election."
(With PTI inputs)