Congress in talks with Trinamool Congress as deadline for policy rollback ends

NEW DELHI: As Trinamool Congress's 72-hour deadline for rollback diesel price hike, LPG subsidy cap and FDI in multi-brand retail expired today, Congress held negotiations with that party and expressed the confidence of continuing a "working relationship".

Party chief Sonia Gandhi held consultations with senior leaders, including ministers, at her residence to decide the strategy ahead even as there was no sign of worry in the AICC over fresh pressure mounted by Mamata Banerjee.

With Banerjee set to have a meeting with her party leaders in Kolkata tomorrow, Gandhi had a strategy session with Union Ministers A K Antony, P Chidambaram, Sushilkumar Shinde, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Vayalar Ravi and Gandhi's Political Secretary Ahmed Patel.

"Negotiations are going on...we do believe that we will be able to have a working relationship. We remain optimistic," party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary told reporters at the AICC briefing.

Asked whether Congress is confident that all its allies, including Trinamool Congress, will remain in UPA government in future as well, she said "we will always be hopeful of all our allies' continuance. Our doors are never closed for dialogue".