West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asserted that the TMC is 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.
Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, also emphasised that the Centre should not decide the party's nominee to the delegations.
Her statement came after a controversy broke out that TMC MP Yusuf Pathan was forced to opt out of the multi-party diplomatic delegation.
The BJP has attacked West Bengal's ruling party for the development.
"We were not contacted about this (naming a party representative for the delegation), Banerjee said at the Kolkata airport before leaving for the northern part of West Bengal on a three-day official visit. Nowadays, the system is that they do not inform the mother party but inform the parliamentary party. But the parliamentary party works for Parliamentary sessions. They cannot make policy decisions," she said.
The TMC supremo said the Centre did not request the party authorities to name an MP to be a member of the delegation.
"If the request comes to us, of course we can consider it. We always support the central government's policy (on external affairs). If anything is special, we will think of it, but not now. At present, we are supporting the central government's views and actions," she said. -- PTI
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