CM Mamata Banerjee to plan Parliament session roadmap

Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will hold a meeting with all party MPs at her Kalighat residence on Monday. The Trinamul supremo is likely to chart out a road map for the upcoming Parliament session in Delhi from February 1 to 10.

The Trinamul Congress has already decided to skip the pre-budget all-party meet in New Delhi, with Ms Banerjee questioning the government's decision to present the Union budget on February 1. The day is also a state holiday in Bengal on account of Saraswati Puja.

Ms Banerjee is likely to instruct her senior MPs - Kalyan Bandopadhyay and Sougata Roy - to take charge in the Parliament session and make the party's stand clear against the demonetisations in the wake of arrest of party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay in connection with the Rose Valley scam.

The two leaders had played a crucial role during a recent march to the Prime Minister's Office at South Block. About 30 TMC MPs took part in the protest. The PMO security force was pushed to the limit as the MPs clashed with RAF and Delhi police personnel.

Ms Banerjee's meeting also assumes significance as state Congress leaders have alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the TMC have an understanding in light of the protest against the power grid at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas. The BJP has remained silent on the protest.

"Ms Banerjee wants us to remain vocal against demonetisation in Parliament and that she is still at loggerheads with the BJP," an MP said.