Union Defence Minister A K Antony called on Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday, ahead of the crucial UPA coordination committee meeting tentatively slated to be held next week. Antony’s meeting with Mamata, which was held at the Writers’ Building, is reportedly aimed at winning her consent in the key economic reform proposals.
Mamata has been a vociferous critic of UPA-II Government’s proposal to introduce Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to multi-brand retail and the forward trading. Given Didi’s objection to the key reforms, the Congress would have to assuage Mamata to push for the reforms, which have been delayed for around one year.
Union Railway Minister Mukul Roy said Mamata would attend the UPA coordination committee meeting on August 22.
TMC sources said that Mamata has not yet given any positive indication to Antony. Both Didi and the Union Minister remained tight-lipped on whether the FDI in retail was discussed in the meeting. Later, Mamata said that the discussions were on the two upcoming metro projects and drinking water projects where the land belongs to the Army.
Antony, too, promised to help Mamata in the Ganga riverbank beautification project.