<p>A united Opposition remains a distant dream as Trinamool Congress Thursday broke its silence over the vice presidential polls, announcing its abstention from voting on August 6.</p>.<p>Speaking to the press after a meeting with its MPs, Trinamool MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that 85 per cent of the parties MPs were miffed that the Opposition finalised the VP candidate without consulting TMC. The party also discussed its strategy for the current parliamentary session.</p>.<p>“On 6th, Trinamool will abstain in the upcoming vice presidential polls. It is neither supporting – the question of supporting (the) NDA candidate doesn’t even arise, and the way the opposition candidate was decided without proper consultation and deliberation with a party which has 35 candidates in both the houses, we have decided unanimously to abstain from the voting process,” Banerjee said. He added that TMC is still open to cooperate with parties who are against the BJP.</p>.<p>He defended TMC's right to ideologically differ from the parties. TMC MPs, however, said that they object to the way the decision was reached. On being asked if such a move could benefit the NDA candidate, Banerjee said the NDA candidate already has an edge.</p>.<p>Banerjee said Margaret Alva has a strong bonding with TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and the party has no reservations against any candidate. He added, however, that TMC had proposed a few names but the Opposition made the announcement without a final consultation. He added that this doesn't indicate an absence of Opposition unity.</p>.<p>Trinamool will continue to take the BJP head on, he said. “It is not going to weaken opposition unity anyway. My approach or perspective is different from yours. If Congress or DMK, or AAP, or for that matter any other political party which is fighting the BJP wants to reach out to us over any matter, we are open to any kind of discussion and deliberation,” he said. If you think by abstaining we have helped or benefitted it’s a myth. Trinamool will be more aggressive, he said.</p>
<p>A united Opposition remains a distant dream as Trinamool Congress Thursday broke its silence over the vice presidential polls, announcing its abstention from voting on August 6.</p>.<p>Speaking to the press after a meeting with its MPs, Trinamool MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that 85 per cent of the parties MPs were miffed that the Opposition finalised the VP candidate without consulting TMC. The party also discussed its strategy for the current parliamentary session.</p>.<p>“On 6th, Trinamool will abstain in the upcoming vice presidential polls. It is neither supporting – the question of supporting (the) NDA candidate doesn’t even arise, and the way the opposition candidate was decided without proper consultation and deliberation with a party which has 35 candidates in both the houses, we have decided unanimously to abstain from the voting process,” Banerjee said. He added that TMC is still open to cooperate with parties who are against the BJP.</p>.<p>He defended TMC's right to ideologically differ from the parties. TMC MPs, however, said that they object to the way the decision was reached. On being asked if such a move could benefit the NDA candidate, Banerjee said the NDA candidate already has an edge.</p>.<p>Banerjee said Margaret Alva has a strong bonding with TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and the party has no reservations against any candidate. He added, however, that TMC had proposed a few names but the Opposition made the announcement without a final consultation. He added that this doesn't indicate an absence of Opposition unity.</p>.<p>Trinamool will continue to take the BJP head on, he said. “It is not going to weaken opposition unity anyway. My approach or perspective is different from yours. If Congress or DMK, or AAP, or for that matter any other political party which is fighting the BJP wants to reach out to us over any matter, we are open to any kind of discussion and deliberation,” he said. If you think by abstaining we have helped or benefitted it’s a myth. Trinamool will be more aggressive, he said.</p>
