Cong reaches out to Mamata, Khurshid plays peacenik

A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s attack, Congress on Sunday reached out to its ally saying there was need for “better communication” with Trinamool Congress and the two could re-build trust by ironing out “disagreements” behind closed doors.

Discounting the possibility of Banerjee parting ways with Congress, senior party leader and Union Minister Salman Khurshid said there was no need to read too much into Banerjee’s statement that Congress was free to walk out of the ruling alliance in West Bengal. “I don’t think we should read too much into these things. I would certainly imagine if we can avoid them, good. Even if our disagreement we can put them across in closed doors.... I hope something like this will be worked out,” he said here.

He said there will be sometimes a mismatch in (Banerjee’s) expectations and mismatch in the Congress’ responses “and sometimes a mismatch in answering to our constituencies.”

“I am sure that Mamataji also has expectations from people who voted for her to change the ruling establishment in Bengal after such a long time. But again we are a national party and we have a lot of expectations that go beyond the concerns of only one state,” he said.

“We all understand her concerns and I am sure that she also understands our compulsions. I think its just need for better communications and there isn’t lack of ability on both sides to be able to communicate. I am not going to believe that they can tempt her, any person like her into their fold.”

Congress-Trinamool ties have been strained with the Congress’ state unit vociferously protesting against Banerjee’s party. The latest issue involves the state government’s move to rename Indira Bhavan in Kolkata which has been strongly opposed by the Congress leading to a confrontation between the two allies.