The Congress sounded a warning to allies, particularly recalcitrant allies like the Trinamool Congress, that the stability of the government was at risk because of their efforts to assert themselves beyond a point.
At the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to keep the flock together on crucial financial business in Parliament, Finance Minister and Leader of Opposition Pranab Mukherjee sounded the warning, evidently in the context of the Trinamool Congress’ tabling of an amendment to the President’s Address, which has embarrassed the government.
Not happy with TMC. PTI
The Congress ally in Tamil Nadu, the DMK, too has proposed an amendment relating to the alleged violation of human rights of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Highly placed sources told PTI that Mukherjee explained the procedures to the allies at the dinner meeting, which top parliamentary leaders of Trinamool skipped. Instead, only a backbencher of the party was present.
Mukherjee said actions like the amendment tabled by Trinamool seeking deletion of a paragraph in the President’s Address (relating to the establishment of a National Counter Terrorism Centre) could prove costly to the government, the sources said.
Asking Trinamool not to insist on the amendment and withdraw it, he said the party was part of the ruling coalition and it was not proper for it to resort to such actions.
The Trinamool representative at the dinner meeting, Ratna De Nag, said her party was not for destabilising the government and only was keen on a good package for West Bengal.
Earlier in the day, Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee tabled amendment seeking deletion of a paragraph on the NCTC.
Normally, amendments are tabled are only by opposition and not by ruling constituents because if they are passed, the government may have to bow out.
With inputs from PTI
