Mamata envoy carries deal offer

ARNAB GANGULY

Kalimpong, July 13: Mamata Banerjee is apparently working towards a quid pro quo with the Congress on the President and Vice-President elections.

If the Congress agrees to back Gopalkrishna Gandhi, her nominee for Vice-President, Trinamul will support Pranab Mukherjee, the UPA candidate for President.

This is the message rail minister Mukul Roy will carry to the UPA meeting in Delhi tomorrow, party sources said.

"The former Bengal governor's name was there on her list of candidates for President also. That did not materialise. Now we will try to push him for Vice-President," said a Trinamul MP.

Although Mamata has agreed to send her emissary to the Delhi meeting, she has turned down an invite to the July 18 dinner Sonia Gandhi will host for UPA allies on President election-eve.

"Mamatadi has told the high command she cannot accept the invite as she would be busy with the July 21 martyrs' day rally. She has asked all party MPs and MLAs to be in Calcutta on July 18 in case she decides to vote in the President polls," a minister said.

Sources said there was confusion whether parties like the CPM, which is backing Mukherjee, had been invited to the dinner. This may have been a factor in her decision to skip it. "She thought it best to stay away," an MP said.

The sources said Mamata might agree to vote for Mukherjee if the Congress accepts her nominee for Vice-President in place of Hamid Ansari, whom the UPA has been considering.

In a July 2 meeting with Trinamul MPs and MLAs, Mamata had said she would take a decision in consultation with them three days before the President poll. The sources said Mamata was "extremely unlikely" to vote for P.A. Sangma, which meant she would either back Mukherjee or stay away from the election.

"Mamata has kept on hold her decision on whom to support for President till 72 hours before polling day. By then, she would know what the Congress has to say," said a Trinamul leader.

"If the Congress agrees to Trinamul's candidate for Vice-President, it would be a reciprocal gesture to vote for Pranabda. Otherwise, we can always abstain."

Another MP added: "Propping up a candidate isn't enough. We don't have the numbers. But that doesn't mean we have to accept everything the Congress says. We are a responsible ally and we would like to have our voice heard."