Rumours hit overdrive after TMC U-turn on TRAI Act
Significantly, the TMC's Saugata Roy vigorously opposed the Bill at the introductory stage during a debate in the Lok Sabha.
Is there a link between the Trinamool Congress's sudden volte-face on the TRAI amendment and reports that CBI might want to question film actor-turned TMC MP Mithun Chakraborty in the Saradha scam. Though nobody from the government side or from the TMC is prepared to talk of this, the sudden change in the TMC's position has set tongues wagging.
Significantly, the TMC's Saugata Roy vigorously opposed the Bill at the introductory stage during a debate in the Lok Sabha. On Monday, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Saugata roy had jointly served notice of moving a motion opposing the Amendment.
However when the Bill was taken up, TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyaya caught everybody by surprise by announcing his party's support to the government's move to amend the TRAI amendment. He described Roy's notice as not representative of the party's position on the issue. Roy sheepishly stayed away from the House when the Bill was taken up for voting.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu claimed he had personally spoken to NCP chief Sharad Pawar, and leaders from the SP, BSP, BJD and the AIADMK.
"I advised them not to fall into the Congress party's trap by opposing a measure just for opposition's sake. They are entitled to oppose issues for ideological reasons and in their political interest but surely a PM has the right to list appoint his own personal staff," said Naidu.
The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha earlier in the day and now with some of the naysayers now on board, it's passage in the Rajya Sabha is also more or less assured.