Trinamool out of ministry reshuffle plan

The Trinamool Congress may not figure in Saturday's reshuffle in the Union ministry.

In a move to avoid further controversy, the National Democratic Alliance partners have decided to keep the Trinamool out of the ministry for the time being.

Early in the morning on Saturday, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, who was likely to be inducted into the Union Cabinet, cancelled her visit to New Delhi after learning that senior party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay was being considered for induction into the Cabinet against her wishes.

"The question of inducting Trinamool MPs as ministers in the National Democratic Alliance government has been kept in abeyance," Trinamool's policy making body chief Pankaj Banerjee told newspersons in Kolkata.

He said the party was informed of this by the "highest authority."

This means neither Trianmool chief Mamata Banerjee nor her dissident MP Sudip Bandopadhyay will be considered for ministerial posts.

The decision comes as a small victory for Banerjee, who had expressed reservations about Bandopadhyay's inclusion in the ministry.  

Bandopadhyay, who has grown close to the Bharatiya Janata Party, was reportedly lobbying for a berth in the ministry for the past few days in Delhi.