UPA may remain in power with others' support: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday admitted that the UPA government could continue in power, even without her party's support, for some months by taking support of other parties.

"Despite our party leaving the UPA, they may stay in power for three to six months by holding the hands of other parties," Banerjee told the media after announcing her party's decision to withdraw support to the central government's ruling coalition in protest against the diesel price hike, restriction in number of subsidised cooking gas cylinders and FDI in retail.

Unsparing in her attack on the Congress, she said it had the habit of seeking new partners whenever there was a quarrel with old allies.

Mamata said it had the habit of seeking new partners whenever there was a quarrel with old allies.

"It is the Congress's game to take support of Mayawati if they have a fight with Mamata. Then if they have a fight with Mayawati, they go to Mulayam Singh Yadav. If they have problems with DMK, they go to the AIADMK. And if they have a separation with Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United to hold the hands of Rashtriya Janata Dal's Lal's Lalu Prasad."

"We have seen a lot of such blackmailing tactics", she said.

"But let me tell you, those who cannot be friends with us, cannot be friends with anybody else."

Banerjee complained that her party never got the minimum respect from the Congress, despite being the second largest UPA constituent.

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