Trinamool to Continue Opposition to Reform Legislations

Kolkata: Despite backing UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential race, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday made it clear that her Trinamool Congress would oppose the central government's pet reform agenda including forward trading, additional FDI in pension and FDI in multi-brand retail.

Addressing her party MPs after the presidential elections got over in the state assembly, Banerjee said her party would not veer from the commitments it made to the people in its election manifesto before last year's assembly polls.

"Our policies will be determined by the commitments we made in our election manifesto," a party MP quoted Banerjee as saying during the meeting.

Banerjee also referred to the party's firm opposition to any rise in petroleum prices.

"She averred that her party continued to firmly oppose bills on forward trading, FDI in multi-brand retail and FDI in pension," the source said.

She also formed a six-member core committee of party MPs to examine those bills which have been tabled or could be introduced in the monsoon session of parliament.

"The group has been asked to keep Banerjee abreast of the bill details," he said.

Banerjee is also learnt to have pulled up MP from Rajya Sabha Sukhendu Sekhar Roy for attending, without the party's authorisation, the lunch hosted by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in Delhi Wednesday. Banerjee pointed out that only MP K.D. Singh was asked to be present at the lunch.