Mamata to revive WB Upper House if elected

Kolkata: Eying a win in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she planned to revive the Vidhan Parishad, the Upper House, if her party formed the next government in the state.

"If we (Trinamool Congress and Congress alliance) come to power we will revive the Vidhan Parishad where eminent personalities from different walks of life -- economists, litterateur, artists, journalists, teachers and those from the unorganised sector and self-help groups would be made members," Mamata told a face-to-face programme with the Bengali TV channel Star Anand.

Mamata said she had already spoken to Union Finance Minister and Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee of her plan. West Bengal had a bicameral legislature earlier, but it was abolished in August, 1969.

Eying a win in the WB elections, Mamata said she planned to revive the Upper House if elected to power.

TMC sources said Mamata was toying with the idea of reviving the Upper House as a number of eminent personalities from different walks of life had been drawn into her movement since the days of Singur and Nandigram. Many of them were not keen on contesting the assembly polls, but Mamata wanted to have their advice in running the government.

Mamata said if her party came to power it would have a small ministry in contrast to the present large Left Front one to ensure better functioning and to minimize expenditure.

Asked whether her party would retain the railway portfolio if her party won and she became the chief minister, Mamata, the present railway minister in the UPA government, replied "I think so".

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