New Delhi: There's been a twist in the standoff between the Trinamool Congress and the Tatas.
Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee said the party received a Rs 27 lakh cheque from the Tata Trust two days ago as poll contribution. A Tata spokesperson has confirmed this saying it was sent by the Tata Electoral Trust as per its criteria on poll performances by political parties.
Trinamool Congress leaders now say that the cheque has been politely returned.
"The cheque came from a Tata trust with a letter to my Kolkata office address two days ago. We have returned the cheque and will also write a polite letter in reply," she said.
"Day before yesterday (Wednesday) we received a letter along with cheque of Rs 27 lakh. It states that they have given us the money after monitoring our poll performance. The Tata trust sent the letter. We have declined to take the cheque," added Rajya Sabha MP from Trinamool Congress and party leader Mukul Roy.
When asked about this, a Tata spokesman said, "The money was indeed offered to Mamata Banerjee by the Tata Electoral Trust. Tatas do not distribute money. Based on the criteria laid down in its mandate, the trust offers money to any party that meets the criteria."
In reply to a question on what she would do about the Singur land where the Nano factory was coming up, Mamata said, "Our stand remains the same - have your factory in the 600 acres and give 400 acres back to farmers." She added, "We are not against industry, we want industry and farmers both to flourish, which is what the Left failed to understand."
Asked what she would do for her state with her large contingent of ministers, even if they had MoS portfolios, Banerjee said, "Once ministries are announced it will have to be seen how much responsibility is given to the junior ministers and accordingly one can work out how much work can be done for the state. We have asked for ministries which can directly serve the people and our agenda is to do the best we can for the people of West Bengal."
"Expectations may be high but the people of Bengal are also extremely aware, they know unless the state government is changed nothing can be done and what we are doing now is only infrastructure building," was her well thought out but prompt reply.
The immediate task that she has assigned herself and her array of ministers for West Bengal is to get the Centre cracking on relief and rehabilitation of cyclone-hit people in parts of the state. She has already held a meeting with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and ensured the most that can be done.
Except Dinesh Trivedi, five of her other ministers of state, Mukul Roy, Saugata Roy, Sisir Adhikary, Sultan Ahmed and C M Jatua have all been assigned parts of the state that they need to oversee in the relief work and they are all going to leave for Kolkata after taking charge of their respective ministry offices on Friday.
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