Mamata Not Expecting Rapproachment

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Rebel West Bengal Youth Congress leader Mamata Banerjee yesterday said she did not expect any move for a last-minute rapproachment with the pradesh Congress leadership by the high command, prior to the 80th AICC plenary session.

Reiterating her resolve to go ahead with her August 9 rally, she said there is no move either by me to further approach the AICC high command or has it sent me any indications, Banerjee said. She was least bothered if the high command was averse to holding any further talks with her.

On her rally Banerjee said, it will be a massive gathering of grassroot Congress workers and its message will reach all, including those attending the AICC.

My rally is open to all and everyone is invited to hear the voice of oppressed Congressmen, Banerjee said.

Her letter to Congress president Sitaram Kesri, she said the rally was only to project the immense suffering of millions of Congressmen in West Bengal under Left rule, particularly in the absence of any mass movement by the pradesh Congress leadership. My letter to Kesri is to put on record my demands and grievances and not with the expectation of any reply, she said.

Banerjee, who said she was busy organising the rally, ridiculed the unity walk organised by the wbpcc yesterday in connection with the aicc plenary. i was away in midnapore yesterday, but i came to know that about 3,000 school children and some 1,000-odd people took part in the programme, she said.

She charged the present pcc leadership with hobnobbing with the cpi(m) concerning the renting of the netaji indoor stadium, venue of the aicc plenary, at a highly subsidised rate.

The transport minister, mr. Subhas chakraborty, is favouring the pcc leaders highly and the show is nothing but a joint venture by the marxist congress and the cpi(m), she alleged.

Meanwhile, mr. Sudip bandopadhyay, a close associate of ms banerjee, blamed mr tariq anwar, political secretary to mr kesri, for being responsible for widening the rift between ms mamata banerjee and the aicc.

It is a matter of shame that mr anwar openly sided with the pcc president, mr. Somen mitra, to break the talks. This was undesirable, he said.