The sooner the UPA govt goes the better: Mamata

Expressing dissatisfaction at the Centre not acceding to her demands for restructuring of the state's debt, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said the sooner the UPA government goes the better.

"Despite repeatedly telling this government, it has deprived and exploited the state. The Prime Minister had himself committed before the election (2011 assembly polls) that if we were voted to power, the Centre would help the state and restructure the debt. Nearly three years have elapsed since then," Banerjee told a press conference here.

"This government is on the way out. The sooner it goes the better," she said.

She reiterated the Left Front government had left behind a huge debt because of the Centre allowing it to take loans.

"The previous government did not follow the Fiscal Responsibility Budget Management," she said.

She said the state wanted a transparent debt-restructuring plan so that it could invest revenue earned for infrastructure development.

"West Bengal was deprived the most. We have repeatedly sought restructuring of the debt but it was not accepted."

At a recent party rally here, BJP president Rajnath Singh had made common cause with Banerjee, saying her demand for a three-year moratorium on interest on central loans was justified.