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Trinamul willing to join Union Cabinet

The Trinamul Congress has indicated that it was willing to join the Union Cabinet, changing its stand to support the BJP-led coalition government from outside.

Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has told the media in Calcutta that talks were already on in the party's higher echelons to take a decision in this regard.

She said the party might consider joining the government provided it was given suitable responsibility. ''We can take a positive role if we participate in the government,'' she said.

With a Cabinet reshuffle in the offing, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is reported to have called up Banerjee and asked her to come to Delhi next week.

The party had been accusing the Centre for quite some time of being reluctant in implementing different development projects, including the ''Bengal package'' proposed by Banerjee.

Banerjee had earlier stated that the Centre should not have overlooked the problems of West Bengal only because of it was unrepresented in the Union Cabinet.

She admitted that a few ministers from West Bengal in the Union Cabinet could pursue matters relating to the state's development. ''But there is little point in accepting a portfolio for the sake of becoming a central minister. We need to have the right portfolios to deliver the goods,'' she said.

UNI

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