Cong takes allies on board, Mamata missing again

All politically sensitive proposals would be vetted by the UPA's coordination committee before the government takes a final call. This was decided by a panel, set up this week to project a united face, which held its first meeting on Wednesday.

All politically sensitive proposals would be vetted by the UPA's coordination committee before the government takes a final call. This was decided by a panel, set up this week to project a united face, which held its first meeting on Wednesday.

The UPA allies did not discuss any of the contentious issues but NCP chief Sharad Pawar — who had forced the Congress to set up the panel to take views of the allies on board — flagged the issue of a drought-like situation in the country.

The Trinamool Congress did not attend the meeting — that coincided with the commencement of the monsoon session of parliament. Party chief Mamata Banerjee had to address a public meeting in Jangalmahal area of West Bengal.

However, she did not even depute a representative despite many of Trinamool Congress MPs present in Delhi for the monsoon session. Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the allies in the government that the panel would meet on the last Friday of every month.

Pawar got an assurance from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the Centre would extend all possible assistance to the affected states.

Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh demanded that state-specific issues should also be discussed in the panel.

The meeting also stressed the need for greater coordination and unity among the allies during the ongoing parliament session to thwart any attempt by the opposition to create a rift within the ruling alliance.

Fuel subsidy and issues related to the aviation sector also came up for discussion.

This is for the first time in eight years that the UPA formed a coordination committee of its alliance partners.

Apart from Gandhi and the PM, Union ministers Sushil Kumar Shinde, AK Antony and P Chidambaram are the others members from the Congress.