Banerjee to meet PM, Sonia to seek financial package, discuss President poll

New Delhi, May 3 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday afternoon.

During their meeting here, Mamata is expected to ask the Prime Minister to consider a financial bailout package for her state. She had earlier given a 15-day deadline for this demand to be met, which ends on May 6. The demand includes the government accepting a three-year moratorium on West Bengal's outstanding loans, inherited from the previous Left Front government.

The trinamool Congress chief is also expected to meet UPA Chairperson and Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday or Friday, and both may discuss possible candidates for the post of president.

At present, the UPA regime appears to be focussed on two names-Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Vice-President Hamid Ansari. But Congress sources have said that they Mukherjee as being too valuable to let go for the president's post.

Mamata is also likely to discuss the contentious NCTC Act before the Chief Ministers meet on Saturday. She will also make an appearance in Parliament on Thursday afternoon.

She will also meet External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna at on the Teesta River Water sharing deal with Bangladesh to which she is opposed. (ANI)