Mamata Banerjee on Friday apparently expressed dissatisfaction with the long speeches that some Left leaders delivered at the INDIA alliance’s conclave here, and later prodded the Congress leadership to act instead of talking, a source who was at the meeting said.

“If Arvind Kejriwal can conclude his speech in 20 seconds, why should some Left bloc leaders go on and on?” was how the source summed up Mamata’s mood.

The Bengal chief minister spoke only for a “few minutes” at the closed-door brainstorming session, outlining the need for speed in working out seat shares, the source said.

Mamata, whose role in the first two INDIA meetings in Patna and Bangalore had attracted keen attention, missed Friday’s post-conclave news conference, triggering speculation. A source in a regional party commented that the Trinamul leader had not seemed her usual self in Mumbai.

“I had a flight to catch as I have a lot of work pending in Calcutta,” Mamata told this newspaper after her flight landed in Calcutta around 6.35pm.

“I shall be going abroad soon, so I left early along with Abhishek. Don’t read anything into my absence from the news conference.”

Trinamul too contested any speculation about a discord, saying Mamata had participated in the discussions with gusto and come up with several ideas during informal discussions with Rahul, who was seated next to her.

Mamata’s suggestions, they said, included holding a programme of the alliance in Delhi on October 2 and drawing up a common minimum programme based on the aspirations of farmers, youths and students.

However, while Trinamul nominated Abhishek Banerjee to the coordination committee formed to work out a seat-sharing formula, it nominated none to the campaign committee or the three working groups the alliance constituted on Friday, saying it would do so later. This too provoked comment.

While Mamata denied any differences in the alliance, Trinamul sources said the Bengal chief minister has been flagging the need for a faster resolution of the prickly issue of seat-sharing.

“Not just us but five-six parties — including the JDU, SP, RJD and the AAP — spoke along the same lines. The only ones who wanted to slow the discussions on seat-sharing were the communists. We want timelines and feel that the seat-sharing arrangement should be achieved by October 15.”

A source close to Mamata said the approach of the Bengal units of the CPM and the Congress – both of which have publicly ruled out any coordination with Trinamul — towards the question of a united fight against the BJP was “suspect”.

“Are they serious?” the source asked, referring to the Dhupguri Assembly by-election in Jalpaiguri, scheduled for September 5, which the Left and the Congress are contesting in alliance.

Aware that the issue of seat shares may linger and weaken the united fight against the BJP, Mamata had sent Abhishek to Rahul on Wednesday with her suggestions about a possible nationwide seat-sharing formula, the source said.

“Discussions cannot go on and on in the name of involving all stakeholders in the decision-making process,” the source said, conveying Mamata’s stand.

Caste census

While the lack of urgency appears to be Trinamul’s main grouse, sources in some other parties said that Mamata was offended when they confronted her on the subject of a proposed caste census.

“This is misinformation.... Trinamul is not against a caste census. We are against it when it acquires a religious colour. The BJP had misused it earlier. Don’t forget about the NRC,” the source said, adding that the party would study the proposal and convey its final stand soon.

The confusion on Trinamul’s stand on the proposed caste census, which most alliance partners have endorsed, arose when some people suddenly ganged up against Mamata without giving her a chance to articulate her
party’s position, the source said.

“The acrimony between Trinamul and the Left is casting a shadow on the INDIA alliance. It has to be resolved soon,” a source said.