Jagan, Mamata Discuss United AP

Expressing her solidarity with Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in his fight to keep Andhra Pradesh united, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that public opinion should be respected in a democracy, and that decisions cannot be taken unilaterally.

The YSR Congress president, who called on the Trinamool Congress supremo in Kolkata on Tuesday, has sought the cooperation of Mamata, and urged her to oppose the Telangana Bill when it is tabled in the Parliament.

Also, he has asked her to support him in opposing the "misuse" of Article 3, and the need to ammend it, to the effect that a resolution in the state Assembly and the Parliament should be made mandatory with a two-thirds majority.

During the interaction with the TMC leader, which went off on a cordial note, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy told her that in the absence of such a mechanism, the government in power at the Centre would split states at its whims and fancies without following any democratic norms.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has said that Jagan is like her brother.

She added that though there are some demands of division (in West Bengal), her party is categorical that it stands for national integration and that people should live united.

"We can create new districts for development and allocate special funds, or give special status for backward areas. If all stake-holders agree for a division, no one will object, as it happened in case of Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Chattisgarh. Even the Parliament gave its nod with more than two-thirds majority," she said.

She further added, "But the situation in Andhra Pradesh is different. While one side wants the division, the other side is opposing it. It is a delicate issue. Public opinion should be honoured if the Centre wants to divide the state."

Mamata opined that a commission should be appointed to elicit the opinion of all stakeholders, and that simultaneously, a resolution should be tabled in the state Assembly.

A solution can come only though such an exercise, she stated, adding that it is unfair to weave a hornet's nest just a few months before the elections for political reasons.

"Congress has always been scouting for political mileage. People must be willing for a division, or else problems will arise. Jagan wants to keep the state united," she said.

However, the West Bengal CM was diplomatic, and said that there will not be any problem if the resolution is unanimously adopted in the House.

"The Centre should take into consideration the Srikrishna Committee's Report and the Sarkaria Commission Reports. The government should table the Srikrishna Committee Report and take people into confidence," she opined. (INN)