NEW DELHI, Sept 21:
The Trinamool Congress today formally withdrew its support to the UPA Government at the Centre with the six Trinamool Ministers in the Council of Ministers submitting to President Pranab Mukherjee a letter of withdrawal of
support to the UPA.
The six Trinamool Ministers in the UPA Ministry, led by Railway Minister Mukul Roy, met the President this evening and submitted the letter of withdrawal of support to the UPA Government.
“We have come to the Rashtrapati Bhawan to meet the President and have submitted a letter, signed by Mr Mukul Roy, leader of our Parliamentary Party, withdrawing support to the UPA Government at the Centre,”Trinamool MP and former Minister of State for Urban Development Saugata Roy in the Manmohan Singh Ministry, told reporters here.
He told mediapersons that the President had accepted the letter of resignation.
Earlier, the Trinamool Ministers met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and submitted their resignations from the Union Ministry.
“The Trinamool Congress mmbers of the Council of Ministers, went to the Prime Minister’s residence and submitted their individual letters of resignation to the PM,”Mr Ray said.
He, however, refused to elaborate on the details of the meetings with the Prime Minister and President.
“What PM said to us is confidential information. We don’t have to say anythinmg extra,”Mr Ray said.
Talking to reporters, Mr Mukul Roy said his party would continue with its fight against FDI and price rise.
“We will continue to fight against FDI and price rise. The FDI issue should be discussed in Parliament,”he said.
He said that the Trinamool withdrew support from the government because it had taken an anti-poor, anti-farmer policy.
The Trinamool Ministers who submitted their resignations to the PM include Railway Minister Mukul Roy, Minister of State for Urban Development Saughata Roy, Minister of State for Health Sudip Bandopadhyay, Minister of State for Tourism Sultan Ahmed, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Mohan Jatua and Minister of State for Rural Development Sisir Adhikari.
The withdrawal of support by Trinamool to the UPA is, however, unlikely to be any immediate impact on the stability of the Government as All India Trinamool Congress leader has 19 MPs and the UPA continues to have the backing of over 300 MPs as claimed by the Congress leaders.
The Samajwadi Party has said that it will continue to lend outside support to the UPA.
The resignations of thwe Trinamool Ministers will have its impact on the West Bengal Government with the four Congress Ministers in the state Cabinet expected to submit their resignations tio the Governor. (UNI)