At a time when the West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress head Mamata Banerjee is experiencing unpleasant ties with the UPA, following differences over several policy decisions, the NDA has offered her an open invitation to join alliance.
In a prima facie invitation to Mamata to rejoin the NDA, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said that it was up to Mamata to decide whether to join the NDA considering her "suffocation" in the UPA.
"As far as Mamata Banerjee is concerned, I can only say that she has worked with us, has been a minister in the Vajpayee government. She has seen the working of the National Democratic Alliance, the respect, consideration we gave (her). And she has seen the suffocation of the United Progressive Alliance as well. Let her take a call," he told reporters.
Ravi Shankar Prasad was addressing a press meet after the conclusion of the two-day BJP executive meet in Mumbai, in which the saffron-party passed its resolution targeting the Central government saying the "UPA II has shown governance at its worst."
Prasad's statements hinting at BJP's willingness to have Mamata back on the NDA realm, come at the backdrop of an ongoing spat between the Congress and TMC over various policy issues.
Mamata has been locking horns with the Congress on several policy decisions, saying the ruling party doesn't takes its allies into account before making any important decisions. Mamata will be leading a protest march against the recent petrol price hike in Kolkata on Saturday (May 26).
The BJP supposedly wants to cash in on the differences between the two allies (Congress and TMC), in a deal to gain a better political mileage.
