Trinamool to vote, but Mamata will decide candidate 72 hrs before poll

Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress will, after all, participate in the July 19 presidential election. The party had earlier taken a tentative stand of abstaining from the voting after Mamata's stand-off with the central Congress leadership.

The first signs of a change in stand became evident on Monday night when party MPs and MLAs were distributed forms and told to "cast their vote" in the presidential poll at the Assembly here.

Mamata convened the meeting on Monday night where the one of the agendas was the presidential poll. Several legislators, who did not want to be named, confirmed that the message was categorical and clear that party MLAs and MPs will vote in the presidential poll — but in Kolkata and not in Delhi.

The name of the candidate would be announced 72 hours before polling, Mamata told the legislators. "It is more or less final now that we are going to vote," said one of the MPs. "There are fast unfolding developments. Though Didi has not yet indicated whom we should vote for."

Interestingly, West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday and reportedly backed the state's demand for a special economic package. It was largely because of former finance minister Pranab Mukherjee's denial of out-of-turn economic assistance for the state that had upset Mamata and kept her from endorsing his presidential candidature.

Ever since, Mukherjee has made repeated appeals to Mamata to vote for him as he was the UPA's nominee and her party was a partner in the alliance. He even described her as his "sister". All these may have softened Mamata's stand, say party leaders.

But what might really come as a "face saver" for Mamata to vote for Mukherjee is some kind of announcement from Delhi regarding the financial package. After the governor's meeting, there is fresh hope about some additional dose of finances before or after the presidential poll. Besides, a personal appeal from the PM to Mamata is very much on the cards, according to party sources.

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