Antony meets Mamata ahead of UPA coordination panel meet

In a prelude to the UPA coordination committee meeting scheduled next week to take up the economic-reform bills like FDI in multi-brand retail and forward trading, Union Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here.

Though Antony evaded questions on whether the reform measures that were earlier opposed by the Trinamool chief were discussed, government sources claimed Banerjee conveyed there was no change in the Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) publicly announced stance.

Defence Minister’s office later said, “The minister (AK Antony) was in Kolkata to attend a Defence function at Gardenreach. The meeting with the chief minister was a courtesy visit.”

Being aware of TMC's opposition, Congress is hoping to convince Banerjee not to raise any obstacle to FDI in multi-brand retail in other states that are keen on it. Though TMC is yet to make its stand public on this specific ‘proposal’, a senior leader of the party said, “We are bound by our election manifesto to register our protest against FDI in retail in any circumstances.”

However, the chief minister confirmed her presence in the forthcoming UPA coordination committee meeting, likely to be held on August 22. Incidentally, the meeting was earlier scheduled for August 30, but the date was advanced following a request from the TMC.

Banerjee is likely to fly to Delhi on August 21 for a two-day visit to the national capital. Besides attending the UPA meeting, Banerjee will also meet President Pranab Mukherjee.

During on Saturday’s the meeting, Banerjee sought help from Antony for the riverfront beautification project along the Ganges, which hit a roadblock due to objections raised by the Indian Army that partly owns the land. The beautification of the first 1.5-km stretch along the river was done by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. But beautification of the rest of 25 kilometres along the riverfront could not be completed due to objections raised by defence authorities.

Speaking on the matter, Antony said, “We are ready to extend all sort of assistance to the state government.”