Talk to parties for consensus on Lok Pal: Mamata

The Centre should talk to all political parties before arriving at a consensus on the Lok Pal Bill, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said and stuck to her stand that it should be left to the states to set up Lokayauktas on models they choose.

"We think that the Lok Pal should be made on the basis of consensus and that the Centre should talk to all parties in this regard. All parties support the Lok Pal. But let it be left to states to decide what model they should choose for the Lokayuktas," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat here.

She said that when her party raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, it was told by the government that suitable amendments would be brought to accommodate the Trinamool Congress views on the Lokayuktas.

"But when the bill came, it was found that it left the option open to the states to set up Lokayuktas, but on the model determined by the Centre. I want to set up Lokakukta but what if I do not follow the central model? What if we can set up a better model of Lokayukta?"

Speaking on the Lok Pal logjam, he said, "In the Lok Sabha we said 'do not bulldoze the federal structure'".

Rubbishing reports that she had entered into a a deal with the Congress, she said, "Some are saying that Mamata Banerjee has entered into a deal with the Congress. To them I say few do the kind of transparent politics as Mamata Banerjee.''