The Hindu : National : I cannot share dais with Advani, Pranab tells Mamata Banerjee

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Sunday, Dec 18, 2005

National

National

I cannot share dais with Advani, Pranab tells Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Defence Minister and West Bengal Pradesh Congress chief Pranab Mukherjee has declined Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee's invitation to attend her party's youth convention, to be inaugurated by Bharatiya Janata Party president L K Advani here on Sunday.

"The Congress cannot share the same dais with the BJP. That is not possible. We are opposed to the BJP," Mr. Mukherjee said on Saturday. He had conveyed his decision to her in writing.

Asked about her suggestion that a `grand alliance' be formed to fight the CPI (M) in next year's Assembly elections, Mr. Mukherjee told reporters here that regional parties such as Trinamool could give such a call. "But the Congress is an all-India party and any such decision [to join a grand alliance] can be taken only in consultation with the AICC president."

"Faulty suggestion"

On Ms. Banerjee's call for a one-to-one contest to defeat the CPI (M), the PCC chief said "this suggestion is faulty."

``Every party, be it Left or non-Left, would like to increase its votes. After the Left Front, the Trinamool Congress polls the maximum votes in elections. The Congress also secures votes, the BJP too gets some votes. Voting depends on the party concerned and the programmes announced.'' It was "wrong" to suggest that all anti-CPI (M) votes together would defeat the Left Front. — PTI

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