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Mamata Banerjee suggests it's over now, She quits from congress, Pawar says she was consulted about FDI

New Delhi: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the government both indicated today that a compromise that would allow her to stay with the ruling coalition has not materialised. Ms Banerjee said that she will meet President Pranab Mukherjee tomorrow "if he gives time" to formally withdraw her letter of support to the ruling UPA, reducing it to a minority. Her exit is in protest against the government's decision to increase diesel prices and allow foreign retail giants to set up shops in India.

At an aggressive press conference in Kolkata, her third in as many days, Ms Banerjee reiterated that her six ministers have asked the Prime Minister's Office to see him tomorrow to hand in their resignations. On Facebook, which Ms Banerjee says she is compelled to use to counter media with vested interests, she repeated the charge that she was not consulted by the government before it decided to implement the new reforms.

Sharad Pawar said that is not correct. Mr Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party is also a member of the ruling coalition. He said that Ms Banerjee was consulted by the Prime Minister about allowing Foreign Direct Investment or FDI in retail.

 Trinamool sources say that before Ms Banerjee announced her divorce from the UPA, at a three-hour meeting in Kolkata, some of her ministers argued that it may be expedient to pull out of the government, but provide external support to the UPA, to ensure that their party remained in a position of influence. Ms Banerjee allegedly rejected this suggestion. Her Finance Minister Amit Mitra told NDTV last night that there were no differences within the party, and that she should be lauded for having the courage of her convictions.