TMC to go all-out against Modi govt in Parl over Darjeeling, Sikkim row

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress has decided to launch an "all-out fight" against the Modi government in the monsoon session of Parliament and corner it over its alleged "failures" in dealing with issues like the Darjeeling crisis, standoff with China and GST.

The decision was taken by the TMC parliamentary party at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The meeting, which was held to chalk out the party's strategy for the monsoon session of Parliament, was also attended by TMC Lok Sabha parliamentary party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay, who was in May granted bail in the Rose Valley scam.

Banerjee while briefing the media on the meeting said, "We will play an aggressive role in Parliament. We are ready to go to jail but will not bow our heads."

During the meeting, she gave "clear instructions to go for an all-out fight against the Modi government for failing to tackle major issues which are a matter of concern for the internal and external security of the country".

"It has been decided that we will go for an all-out fight against the Modi government in Parliament. We will also unite other Opposition parties. We have already initiated talks with other parties regarding it," a senior Lok Sabha member of the TMC said on condition of anonymity.

Another Rajya Sabha member of the party, who did not wish to be identified, said, "All-out efforts will be made to corner the Modi government over its failure in dealing with China, the Darjeeling unrest, killings in the name of cow protection, intolerance and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST)."

The TMC and the BJP have been at loggerheads over the last few months on a range of issues like demonetization, GST and the agitation in Darjeeling for a separate state.

The Congress and several other Opposition parties, including the Left, have been critical of the ruling alliance over violence by so-called cow vigilantes.