Didi busy, Didi special, Cong sends plane to fly her in
Ravik Bhattacharjee
Posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 1450 hrs IST
Updated: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 1450 hrs IST
Kolkata: While the Congress’s former alliance partners sulk and its electoral allies reconcile themselves to their diminished clout in the new government, one ally has pride of place. So the Congress leadership chartered a special flight to fly Mamata Banerjee to Delhi tonight. She will meet party president Sonia Gandhi tomorrow morning to work out the contours of the Trinamool Congress’s participation in the new UPA government.
Banerjee, with her 19 MPs, is the Congress’s largest ally and, more significantly, the one who handed the Left its most humiliating defeat in over three decades.
The 20-seater chartered C-850 aircraft, according to Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources, landed this evening and was parked near Kolkata airport’s cargo area. This was done to ensure that Banerjee enters the terminal through VIP Gate 7 and drives straight to the aircraft which took off at 10.30 pm tonight.
When contacted, Sultan Ahmed, the Trinamool’s newly elected deputy leader of the parliamentary party, told The Indian Express: “Didi was busy in the evening and hence couldn’t take a regular flight. Because she is scheduled to meet Soniaji in the morning at about 11 am, a plane was sent for her.”
This evening, Mamata had a meeting with the city’s artists and intellectuals who had come out openly this time with their slogan “Vote for Change.” She went to painter Suvaprassana’s Salt Lake residence at about 8 pm where writer Mahasweta Devi, painter Jogen Chowdhury, actor Shaonli Mitra, poet and singer Kabir Suman and several of her MPs were present.
Mamata headed for the airport from this meeting at about 9.45 pm. Mukul Roy, one of the party’s general secretaries, accompanied her too.
Sources said talks are on between the two parties for “three to four” ministerial berths.
All the MPs have been instructed to stay in Kolkata and will visit Delhi only when “Didi gives the green signal,” sources said.
Comments
» Democracy - from ordinary didi to real DIDI
Posted by Nick Jaggi on 2009-05-21 08:05:15.877425+05:30
Congress charters a plane for Mamata, back to same old tricks. Lets forget the need of the chartered plane which is a waste specially considering it is taking one lady who fights for poor people to meet other lady who also happens to be only living for poor people. DIDI should learn from history, specially the Congress's history of treating allies once they loose few seats. Just look around and by the way where is the big need to join the cabinet!!
» Congress Send Plane for Didi
Posted by Chanchal Dutta on 2009-05-21 07:02:42.797239+05:30
Congress
» Didi! Oh! Didi!
Posted by B.Mizo on 2009-05-20 18:11:14.916747+05:30
You got it right! Mamta can only protest but cannot work- we saw that when she was the Minister of Railways. Minister without portfolio is the right job? But why waste people's money on Ministerial privileges- Make her the Minister of CPM and West Bengal Affairs- she ought to do that well based in Calcutta or is it Kolkatta? Mr PM give her a job in West Bengal!
» The capability
Posted by Chandrima on 2009-05-20 17:25:46.419213+05:30
Mr. Gautam had concluded over capability of Didi as minister before the new govt. is formed. Will u pls give ur valuable comment about the capability of Mr. Karat and Co. who never had any relation with the common people, but enjoy with tax-payers money for more than 30 yrs. You think Didi will submit resignation in fear of work. The Left party members even didn't dare to join govt to avoid any responsibily. They are there to pull the nation downward only. This time people wanted somebody who doesn't only talk about the America zoozoo, but feel and work for common people's interest.
» DIDI MAMTA BANERJEE APOSTAL OF PEACE IN BENGAL
Posted by PCLUTHRA on 2009-05-20 14:58:29.921296+05:30
MAMTA DIDI YOU ARE GREAT AND SO ARE YOUR PARENTS. YOU HAVE GONE INTO A FIGHT AND WON IT. WISH YOU GOOD WISHES FOR YRJOINING THE GOVT OF INDIA AS A UNION MINISTER.HOPE YOU WILLDO EVERYTHING FOR THE PEOPLE OF BENGAL WHO HAVE VOTEDTC TO VICTORY DURING ELECTIONS 2009. WITH WARM REGARDS.
» Satire is closer to turth
Posted by shantam i singh on 2009-05-20 13:12:54.124704+05:30
The satirical comment of Mr.Gautam Chakarvarti is to the point.
» Didi
Posted by Swapan Chakravarthy on 2009-05-20 12:59:51.311815+05:30
Mamata-didi deserves to be congratulated at first despite all reservation I have for her. She is a rabble rouser and pitches sufficiently on the issue till she had succeded in destroying it fully. She has succeeded with city bred folks, it would be difficult for her for the rural poor to empathise with her. CPM of course can trounce the Congress if they dump their ego. Offer the CMs position to her and offer to be her coalition partner. I am sure even Sonia Gandhi can't be her best friend at that time. It is also true that if TMC-INC ever won victory in WB polls, Sonia will be at her mercy. Just wait and watch.
» Politics at the cost of aam admi
Posted by Ameet on 2009-05-20 12:43:13.760847+05:30
Who pays for the cost of the special planes?
» NEGATIVE POLITICS
Posted by Anmol on 2009-05-20 12:29:14.204286+05:30
The Communists thought that they had become UNTOUCHABLES in the Political Arena. They have virtually been shown the door due to their attitude problem as well as NEGATIVE POLITICS played by them. Its time that West Bengal has an alternative to these MUGHALS ( Communists) as it will be good for democracy
» Didi Rocks............... :)
Posted by Chiranjit Das on 2009-05-20 12:28:01.807509+05:30
Congrats didi for your effort to demolish the Lal Parties . Hope that in next Bidhan shabha vote WE will get minimum of 230-240 seets out of 293. And hope that after few years there will be no Lefties in Bengal as well as inn India
