Party to decide representative for diplomatic delegations, says TMC; Yusuf Pathan opts out
Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan, named by the Centre in one of the delegations set to go abroad to convey India's message on Operation Sindoor, has opted out of the tour, party sources said, even as the TMC insisted it is not boycotting the diplomatic effort and only wants that it should be allowed to pick its representative.
Pathan's name was announced as part of a delegation led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Jha that is supposed to go to Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Singapore.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) sources said the former cricketer and Baharampur Lok Sabha MP has opted out of the tour.
Earlier, TMC Lok Sabha parliamentary party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay was approached by the government to join the delegation. He had, however, turned down the offer citing health reasons.
While the sources did not specify the reason for Pathan's decision, both West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said that the Centre should not decide the party's nominee to the delegations.
Banerjee, speaking to the media at the Kolkata airport, also said her party was not boycotting the Centre's multi-party diplomatic mission aimed at countering Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and would send its representatives once a formal request is received from the Centre.
“It is wrong to say that we are boycotting or not going. They need to inform the party.
“The parliamentary party discusses the bills in the Parliament. It takes decisions regarding the Parliament, and that too, after consulting with the party. I am the chairperson of the parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha,” Banerjee said.
“However, we are never informed. We will definitely send a representative if they inform us. Why wouldn't we? There is no point of controversy here. We are fully with the government,” she said.
Abhishek Banerjee, meanwhile, said, "The Centre cannot unilaterally decide who will represent which party. This has to be decided by the respective party leadership.
"If you ask for one representative, we will give you five names. But the Centre also needs to show its good intent and call for a wider deliberation with all parties in the opposition".
The Centre on Sunday announced the names of members of seven delegations, which will consist of political leaders, parliamentarians and former ministers from various parties, travelling to world capitals to put across India's resolve to tackle terrorism against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor.
The delegations are being led by Baijayant Panda, Ravi Shankar Prasad (both BJP), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU), Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Kanimozhi (DMK) and Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), and will visit a total of 32 countries and the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
