Congress discusses post-TMC strategy - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Congress Core Group met here on Friday evening ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's address to the nation to explain the Government's decisions on economic reforms which have triggered widespread political protests across the country. The meeting, which took place at the Prime Minister's official 7, Race Course Road residence here lasted for around an hour. This was the second meeting of the Congress Core Group, which had met only two days back. The members of the Congress Core Group, which is headed by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, is believed to have discussed the future course of action following Mamta Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress's (TMC) exit from the government. The Prime Minister, who will address the nation at around 8 p.m., is expected to spell out the reasons that prompted the government to allow FDI in multi-brand retail, hike in diesel prices and put a cap on subsidy on LPG cylinders. Trinamool Congress withdrew its support to the UPA Government earlier today after a week of dramatic political twists and turn. Six TMC ministers, who resigned from the Union Cabinet, met President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi earlier today to communicate the withdrawal of their party's support to the Congress-led UPA-II Government. After Trinamool Congress's withdrawal of support, the UPA Government's strength in Lok Sabha has come down from 273 to 254 leaving the coalition heavily dependent on Samajwadi Party (22) and BSP (21) to retain majority in the House. For a simple majority, the Manmohan Singh Government needs the support of at least 273 MPs in a House of 545. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav earlier today said that his party would continue to lend outside support to the Congress-led government to prevent 'communal forces' from succeeding in their quest for power. "Our support is clear. We will not let communal forces come to power. That is why I am supporting. I am not in UPA. But we are supporting so that communal forces do not go ahead," he said. Mayawati's Bahujan Samajwadi Party is, however, yet to make its stand known on providing support to the UPA coalition.

Congress Core Group discusses post-TMC strategy