Mamata seeks Jayalalithaa's support to protest against Kolkata, Chennai airports' privatisation

Unions say chief minister Mamata Banerjee has already promised to write to Manmohan Singh stating state government's opposition

After extending an olive branch to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee now seems to have a good reason to reach out to her counterpart in Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa, in opposing the Centre’s move to bring in private operators the  Kolkata and Chennai airports.

Days after the Centre’s decision to rope in private players to run the two airports, the West Bengal government is planning to get the Tamil Nadu CM on board to lodge a joint protest against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government in this regard. “We are strongly opposed to the move. We are initiating talks with Tamil Nadu chief minister; hopefully, both state governments would come together to stop this at any cost,” said  Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy.

Unions with allegiance to CITU (Left affiliated) and INTTUC (TMC affiliated) otherwise bitter rivals have joined hands to float the Airport Authority Officers’ and Employees’ Joint Forum to protest the Centre’s move. Roy, chairman of the forum, will formally approach the CM’s of both West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, who anyway are believed to be opposed to the move, to support their cause.

Responding to Banerjee’s move, unions say she had promised to write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to mark the state government’s opposition. However, to send out a larger political message, TMC wants a joint letter by both the chief ministers.

Besides, the ruling parties in both the states, The TMC and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), are likely to raise the matter during the coming monsoon session of Parliament.  The unions have also threatened mass leave by employees. Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh had promised to retain all Airport Authority of India (AAI) staffs. However, the unions refuse to buy the argument.

Recently, an inter-ministerial group had approved a proposal to lease out new terminals built by AAI in Kolkata and Chennai to private concessionaires at a predetermined fee. This would allow the private players to operate and maintain the facilities.

The trade unions allege the Centre’s move will be “sweet deals” for private parties, as they would get such contracts without any substantial investment . The new terminals in Kolkata and Chennai airports were built for Rs 2,325 crore and Rs 2,015 crore, respectively, by the AAI.