On Margaret Alva, Trinamool says Congress must view Mamata's party as equal; ‘20 minutes before

Trinamool MP Derek O'Brien said the decision that Margaret Alva will be the opposition's vice presidential candidate was conveyed to the Trinamool 20 minutes before the press conference in which her name was announced.

Amid the row over the Trinamool deciding to stay away from the vice presidential election on August 6, which opposition candidate Margaret Alva slammed as 'whataboutery', Trinamool MP Derek O'Brien said the party has highest regard for Margaret Alva and the decision to abstain from voting was only to protest the manner and method in which the candidate was picked.

The Trinamool was informed about Margaret Alva's candidature barely 20 minutes before the press conference, Derek O'Brien said adding that the Congress should view Mamata Banerjee's party as an equal partner.

"We all are like-minded parties and the objective is to defeat the BJP. These like-minded parties are of two categories. One consists of the electoral allies of the grand old party -- the DMK in Tamil Nadu, RJD in Bihar, NCP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, and the CPI(M) in West Bengal," he said, as quoted by PTI.

"While the TMC is like-minded' it is not an electoral ally of the grand old party. The grand old party should view the TMC as an equal partner and in that spirit let us agree on issues and strategies of the bigoted BJP government," O' Brien said.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury hinted at a secret pact between Mamata and West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar who is the NDA's vice presidential candidate. ""West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar is a Vice Presidential candidate, he often used to have a spat with the Chief Minister. A few days ago, Governor called Mamata Banerjee in Darjeeling and they had a meeting along with Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma at the Darjeeling Governor's House. The next day he was announced as Vice Presidential candidate, which means there was a Darjeeling pact among them," Chowdhury said.

Margaret Alva reacted to Trinamool's decision sharply and said this is not the time for 'whatavoutery, ego or anger'. " I believe Mamata, who is the epitome of courage, will stand with the opposition," Alva said.