Didi plays to the tune of alliance politics
TNN | Feb 26, 2011, 04.57am IST
KOLKATA: In presenting her budget, railway minister Mamata Banerjee has played to the tune of alliance politics, and got from Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee the support from the general budget that is essential to pull her through the difficult financial position that the railways are facing.
A government budgetary support of `20,000 crore has helped Mamata place an annual plan estimate of `57,230 crore for 2011-12, "the highest ever plan investment by the railways in a single year". In turn, this year Mamata has not cornered all the announcements for new lines and trains for West Bengal. Rather, she has spread them all over the country. A large share has gone to poll-bound states other than Bengal as well, such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, furthering the chances of Congress in these states.
It is now to be seen if Mukherjee can use his gesture to the advantage of Congress in Bengal and wrest a few more seats from the Trinamool Congress chairperson when the negotiations for seat adjustment start for assembly election in the state.
The railway budget has been a big chance for Mamata to announce new projects for Bengal before the model code of conduct comes into play and she has made the best use of the opportunity. Her proposals to set up rail-based industrial units at Singur, Nandigram and Uluberia is a bid to experiment with the strategy of developing Bengal into a centre for rail-based industries.
The proposal for an IT excellence centre at Darjeeling is aimed to woo the people of the hills and restore peace there. The plan to recruit 16,000 ex-servicemen in the railways is likely to help the Gorkhas, among whom there are many ex-servicemen. The proposal for construction of a new line from Bhadutala to Jhargram via Lalgarh and a new passenger train from Midnapore to Jhargram are aimed at wooing the people of Jangalmahal, where Mamata is trying to turn tables on CPM in the coming election.
She has also kept the minority vote bank in mind by announcing a new line from Baruipara to Furfura and a new train between Kolkata and Ajmer. The Trinamool strongholds in South 24-Parganas have been addressed by announcement of new lines between Kalikapur and Minakhan and Kakdwip and Budhkhali.
Predictably, Congress leaders, from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to those at the state level, have welcomed the railway budget. While the Prime Minister has described it as "budget of the common people", PCC spokesman Om Prakash Mishra has said that "Bengal has got enough. People of Bengal are dreaming of a development centred around railways."
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