Cong downplays differences with Mamata over building name

The Congress today played down its differences with United Progressive Alliance constituent Trinamool Congress (TMC), saying the Mamata Banerjee-led party was an alliance partner in West Bengal and in the central government.

The Congress on Tuesday played down its differences with United Progressive Alliance constituent Trinamool Congress (TMC), saying the Mamata Banerjee-led party was an alliance partner in West Bengal and in the central government.

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"There could be some differences with the TMC. But the fact is we have an alliance with it in West Bengal and at the centre," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.

Referring to Banerjee's efforts to re-name the Indira Bhawan in Kolkata after Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, the Congress reminded the TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister that while "it respected poets and musicians, Banerjee should not forget she had worked under late prime minister Indira Gandhi".

"Though we respect poets and musicians, we would like to tell Banerjee that she should not forget that she had worked under late prime minister Indira Gandhi," said Tewari.

After embarrassing the Congress last year on the issues of foreign equity in retail and states' authority in appointing the Lokayuktas, the TMC chief has now rubbed the Congress the wrong way on the issue of renaming the building named after former prime minister Indira Gandhi.