Lunch to dinner, Didi's day

J.P. Yadav, TT, New Delhi, Dec. 9: Mamata Banerjee today treated Delhi to a display of her skills at keeping potential enemies closer and potential friends apart.

First, the Trinamul Congress offered full-throated support in the Lok Sabha to the Congress's campaign against "vendetta politics", surprising the Left with a tactical manoeuvre in the run-up to the Assembly polls in Bengal next year.

Then, Mamata exchanged pleasantries with Mukul Roy, the one-time confidant who has been sidelined, and invited him to dine with her.

On a day Mamata visited Parliament, Trinamul MPs clashed with the Speaker and walked out of the Lok Sabha to underscore their issue-based support to the Congress.

The Trinamul aggression was in sharp contrast to the stand of most of the rest of the Opposition that is viewing the Congress drive with scepticism.

Members of the CPM, believed to be looking at the Congress for an "unofficial" tie-up for the Bengal elections, sat quietly.

Left sources later pointed out that they could not afford to get involved. The issue at hand - the National Herald case - deals with alleged corruption, something that makes the Left uneasy.

Besides, the Left has had its share of run-ins with the judiciary and it does not want to be seen criticising courts again for the sake of another party.

"Trinamul is going out of the way to express solidarity with the Congress to stall any possibility of an alliance with us in Bengal. They are scared," said a CPM parliamentarian.

Trinamul, which had already cast itself as a victim of the CBI in the Saradha case, publicly empathised with the Congress leadership.

Yesterday, Mamata had said: "I think Soniaji's and Rahul's personal appearance (in court) is too much after so many years in politics.... But this is my personal view."

Today, Trinamul took it a notch up in the Lok Sabha. Trinamul MP Saugata Roy sparred with Speaker Sumitra Mahajan in his attempt to raise the topic of "political vendetta", straying from the text approved for the zero hour.

"I agree with (Mallikarjun) Khargeji (the Congress's leader in the lower House) that the government is being vindictive towards Opposition leaders... the Prime Minister should come to the House and make a statement," Saugata said as the Speaker kept telling him not to digress from the approved text.

When Saugata persisted (he did not mention Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi by name), his mike was switched off. It was switched back on after he protested but he was cut off again when he returned to the subject.

Trinamul MPs then walked out. Sonia was present in the House when the Trinamul protests unfolded and appeared pleased.

Mamata later called on Sonia at 10 Janpath for around 15 minutes and wished the Congress leader, who turned 69 today, "a long life".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also greeted Sonia over Twitter and sent a bouquet and a letter.

In the Rajya Sabha, when junior minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi attacked the Congress for stalling the House, Trinamul MP Derek O'Brien said: "This is an issue of principle and the government should not lecture us."