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Mamata gives PM a free hand with Fernandes

Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee Monday said the sacking of Union Defence Minister George Fernandes should be left to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Her party would accept what Vajpayee decided on All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief J Jayalalitha's demand that Fernandes be removed, Banerjee told reporters after a meeting with the Tamil Nadu leader.

Agreeing that the issue involved national security, Banerjee said it was precisely because of that reason she wanted the prime minister to decide on it.

She did not discuss the matter with Jayalalitha during their 30-minute meeting, she said.

Describing it as a courtesy call, Banerjee said their talks were about their proposed visit to Anandpursahib in Punjab to attend the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa on April 11, and her attending the AIADMK rally at Coimbatore next month.

UNI

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