Mamata Softens Stance over Petro Prices
Softening Stances – A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ruled out any rollback in recently hiked petrol and diesel prices, Railway minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said her party had issued the demand in interest of the common man.
“We are always for the people. If there is rise in prices of petrol and diesel, it hits the common people. That is why, we have appealed. It is the democratic way,” the Trinamool Congress chief told reporters in Kolkata. She was responding to queries over the PM’s comment.
Allaying speculations she firmly clarified that her party was and will continue to remain in the UPA government.
“We are in the UPA government and we will continue to be in it,” she said.
“We don’t want to get into any quarrel. In a democracy different political parties have their own position and our party has also articulated its view.”
Terming it the ‘democratic way’ Banerjee said her party appealed for the rollback while remaining in the UPA.
Similar sentiments were echoed by UPA’s southern constituent, DMK.
Speaking in Chennai, Kanimozhi, daughter of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, said that a difference in perspectives could not be seen as a pointer towards fissures in a coalition.
“There will be different points of view in a coalition government but it doesn’t mean that the alliance has to break. We work together in so many other issues and we have so many common beliefs which keep us together. I think that is more important,” she said.
(Based on Media reports)
