TMC withdraws sit-in outside Raj Bhavan on MGNREGA dues after governor's assurance

KOLKATA: Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said his party has withdrawn the sit-in outside the Raj Bhavan after five days, following an assurance from Governor C V Ananda Bose that he would take up the issue of MGNREGA dues with the Centre.

The TMC MP, however, said if there is no satisfactory reply on the status of “non-payment” of MGNREGA wages within October 31, the party would launch a fresh agitation from November 1 under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The development comes hours after a party delegation met Bose and urged him to fulfil his "solemn responsibility" by addressing the “persistent problem of unpaid wages of MGNREGA job card holders”, and to write to the central government for clarification on the issue.

"We are withdrawing the sit-in outside Raj Bhavan for the time being. We have told the governor to let us know within two weeks (on the MGNREGA issue)," Banerjee said.

The TMC national general secretary also said the governor has promised the party delegation that he would discuss the matter with the Centre within 24 hours.

"I have heard that the governor has already left for Delhi. So as a gesture of courtesy, we have decided to withdraw this sit-in for the time being. We will wait till October 31 for a satisfactory reply from the Centre, or else we will start another agitation from November 1," he said.