Mamata-Sikdar meet to boost TC-BJP alliance

KOLKATA: Apparently at the behest of the party''s central leadership, state BJP strongman and Union Minister Tapan Sikdar met Trinamul Congress chief and Union Coal Minister Mamata Banerjee in Delhi on Tuesday night and decided to work together in the interest of the alliance leaving behind their past animosity.
"The two leaders, who had bitter relations over different issues in the past with Sikdar criticising Mamata''s style of functioning, held a face-to-face meeting for the first time in several months in Banerjee''s office to sort out their differences and work together ahead of the Lok Sabha poll," sources in both the parties said here on Wednesday.
Describing it as a meeting with "great political significance", TC general secretary Mukul Roy said that the plans and programmes were discussed by the two leaders.
Sikdar, who would be seeking re-election from Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency, apparently sought all-out support of Trinamul Congress to retain the seat and Banerjee had reportedly given him assurance in this regard.
"Trinamul''s support to Sikdar was all the more important since the party has four MLAs in the constituency," Roy said.
Echoing the TC General Secretary, a close confidante of Sikdar, Muzaffar Khan, who accompanied him to Delhi, said that coming together of the two leaders on one platform would definitely give a boost to the TC-BJP on the eve of the election.