New Delhi, Sep 19: So what is really going on in Mamata's mind? Why did she decide to pull the rug out from under the feet of Manmohan Singh led government and will she stick to her decision? Will it have any serious repercussion for the UPA government?
As far as Mamata Banerjee's decision is concerned, it is not surprising at all. Her discomfiture with the central government has been an open secret for too long now and she has never tried to conceal her disappointment with the Manmohan government.
She was looking for the right opportunity to vent her simmering anger and UPA government's decision to hike diesel and LPG prices provided her that golden opportunity on platter. Her complaints are too many to count.
First, she was angry with Pranab Mukherjee because he refused to provide her the financial bailout that she was looking out for. That was the main reason behind her intial refusal to support Pranab's candidature for presidential elections. Not only Pranab, she approached all important leaders including the omnipotent Congress high-command but failed to extract the concession. She expected the central government to be benevolent so far as financial largesse was concerned.
But she forgot the fact Congress still considers itself a force to reckon with in West Bengal and is waiting for the right time to dethrone Trinamool government. In fact, Congress, its state leadership in particular, considers itself the natural claimant to the Writer's Building and believes that Mamata has grabbed the chair that originally and rightfully belonged to them. Against this backdrop, it was natural for the central Congress leadership to give a cold shoulder to Mamata Banerjee's financial bailout expectations. It did not take long for Mamata to decipher the mindset of Congress leadership and she was shattered given her emotional approach towards things in life.
The reality is that Mamata has been caught in a Catch-22 situation. Where should she head from here? BJP is definitely not an option for her because of its perceived anti-Muslim image. In West Bengal, Muslims constitute 29 percent of population and a significant chunk of Muslim electorate shifted their loyalty from Left Front to Trinamool and Mamata can't even think of alienating her committed vote bank. In fact, it was the tectonic shift that took place among Muslim electorate that overthrew the Left Front government and catapulted Mamata into the hot seat.
Her biggest problem is that the ruling Congress has now fully realized her dilemma and is not willing to concede her any space especially after Mamata was forced to eat humble pie during Presidential election. Presidential elections underlined the fact that it's TINA (There Is No Alternative) factor that is forcing Mamata to support the UPA conglomeration. Mamata's support to Congress led UPA has always been out of compulsion and not conviction.
Mamata's acolytes goad her to press for an early parliamentary election that will position her in a better position to bargain as TMC is confident of repeating the success of 2011 assembly elections but they forget the fact that the 2011 success story was written with the support of that 29 percent section of the society which may not forgive her for pulling down what they perceive as the most viable secular alternative. It could very well backfire on Mamata herself. Mamata's over-enthusiastic supporters and advisers should not forget the fact that even the well-laid plans go awry in the absence of proper understanding of ground realities.
As for the longevity of the present UPA government, UPA leaders are fully aware that this dispensation is not surviving on TMC oxygen.
UPA floor managers have done their maths right and there is no perceived threat to the continuity of the UPA government. Anyway, with the combined and unsolicited support of SP and BSP, there is hardly anything for the UPA govt to worry about.
Mamata is well aware of her limitations and that's why she has not burnt her bridges with the Congress completely. This is her way of communicating her displeasure to the central leadership of the Congress.
And most importantly, the state unit of the Congress has been running down her neck relentlessly and this has further enraged Mamata. Mamata would definitely want the central leadership of Congress to rein in their state leadership and tell them that times have changed and they should concede the upper hand to the TMC.
The summary of the resignation saga is that Mamata wants to convey the message to her electorate that she is trying her best to stand on their side but her electorate should also understand that she has her own limitations and she should not be blamed in any way for these anti-poor actions of UPA government. And the electorate should also understand that it's TINA that is forcing her not to completely break-off with Congress.
As far as Mamata Banerjee's decision is concerned, it is not surprising at all. Her discomfiture with the central government has been an open secret for too long now and she has never tried to conceal her disappointment with the Manmohan government.
She was looking for the right opportunity to vent her simmering anger and UPA government's decision to hike diesel and LPG prices provided her that golden opportunity on platter. Her complaints are too many to count.
First, she was angry with Pranab Mukherjee because he refused to provide her the financial bailout that she was looking out for. That was the main reason behind her intial refusal to support Pranab's candidature for presidential elections. Not only Pranab, she approached all important leaders including the omnipotent Congress high-command but failed to extract the concession. She expected the central government to be benevolent so far as financial largesse was concerned.
But she forgot the fact Congress still considers itself a force to reckon with in West Bengal and is waiting for the right time to dethrone Trinamool government. In fact, Congress, its state leadership in particular, considers itself the natural claimant to the Writer's Building and believes that Mamata has grabbed the chair that originally and rightfully belonged to them. Against this backdrop, it was natural for the central Congress leadership to give a cold shoulder to Mamata Banerjee's financial bailout expectations. It did not take long for Mamata to decipher the mindset of Congress leadership and she was shattered given her emotional approach towards things in life.
The reality is that Mamata has been caught in a Catch-22 situation. Where should she head from here? BJP is definitely not an option for her because of its perceived anti-Muslim image. In West Bengal, Muslims constitute 29 percent of population and a significant chunk of Muslim electorate shifted their loyalty from Left Front to Trinamool and Mamata can't even think of alienating her committed vote bank. In fact, it was the tectonic shift that took place among Muslim electorate that overthrew the Left Front government and catapulted Mamata into the hot seat.
Her biggest problem is that the ruling Congress has now fully realized her dilemma and is not willing to concede her any space especially after Mamata was forced to eat humble pie during Presidential election. Presidential elections underlined the fact that it's TINA (There Is No Alternative) factor that is forcing Mamata to support the UPA conglomeration. Mamata's support to Congress led UPA has always been out of compulsion and not conviction.
Mamata's acolytes goad her to press for an early parliamentary election that will position her in a better position to bargain as TMC is confident of repeating the success of 2011 assembly elections but they forget the fact that the 2011 success story was written with the support of that 29 percent section of the society which may not forgive her for pulling down what they perceive as the most viable secular alternative. It could very well backfire on Mamata herself. Mamata's over-enthusiastic supporters and advisers should not forget the fact that even the well-laid plans go awry in the absence of proper understanding of ground realities.
As for the longevity of the present UPA government, UPA leaders are fully aware that this dispensation is not surviving on TMC oxygen.
UPA floor managers have done their maths right and there is no perceived threat to the continuity of the UPA government. Anyway, with the combined and unsolicited support of SP and BSP, there is hardly anything for the UPA govt to worry about.
Mamata is well aware of her limitations and that's why she has not burnt her bridges with the Congress completely. This is her way of communicating her displeasure to the central leadership of the Congress.
And most importantly, the state unit of the Congress has been running down her neck relentlessly and this has further enraged Mamata. Mamata would definitely want the central leadership of Congress to rein in their state leadership and tell them that times have changed and they should concede the upper hand to the TMC.
The summary of the resignation saga is that Mamata wants to convey the message to her electorate that she is trying her best to stand on their side but her electorate should also understand that she has her own limitations and she should not be blamed in any way for these anti-poor actions of UPA government. And the electorate should also understand that it's TINA that is forcing her not to completely break-off with Congress.
