Panja maintains silence

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA, JUNE 27. The rebel Trinamool Congress MP, Mr. Ajit Panja, today claimed that the six party MPs who, like him, were in favour of returning to the NDA, were not in a position to make their views public right now because of ``political compulsions.''

Mr. Panja told a news conference that the MPs would make their pro-NDA views known at their convenience. In fact, none of the MPs were expected to participate in the convention he was organising on June 30 in Kolkata.

He claimed that hundreds of grassroots supporters had confirmed their participation in the convention. However, the people's representatives - MPs, MLAs and councillors - were expected to stay away from it.

``I have not orgnaised this convention to break the Trinamool. My objective is to rejuvenate the party,'' Mr. Panja said.

He had invited all six MPs to attend the convention except Ms. Mamata Banerjee and Mr. Sudip Bandopadhyay, MP. He had also invited leaders of the BJP and the NDA to the convention.

Mr. Panja said that Ms. Banerjee would do well to come clean on her stand on the NDA and the Congress. ``What does she mean by saying that she is not foreclosing the option of returning to the NDA? Also, she says she has faith in the Congress highcommand but she thinks the State party is a liability for the Trinamool. What does it mean?''

He said he was pained at the manner in which Ms. Banerjee was `using' a few youth leaders to threaten him and his followers.

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