TMC wants debate; rejects demand for PM's resignation

Seeking to corner the government over the CAG report on coal block allocation, the Bharatiya Janata Party is understood to have reached out to key UPA constituent Trinamool Congress.

However, in its first official statement from the Trinamool Congress, the party said it wanted a discussion on the coal allocation report but will not support the Opposition's demand for the prime minister's resignation.

Sources said BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain and Rajiv Pratap Rudy had a "chance meeting" with TMC leader Mamata Banerjee at the Delhi airport late on Tuesday evening.

The two BJP leaders are understood to have sought TMC's support against "corruption" in the UPA government and in cornering the government over the recent CAG reports.

While BJP leaders admitted the two leaders met Mamata Banerjee, they termed the meeting as a "chance meeting" and said there was no political talk during the meeting.

Hussain said, "It was a chance meeting as Mamata Banerjee has been their former colleague in the NDA."

Confirming the meeting, a close aide of Banerjee said, "The BJP leaders had discussed certain issues with Mamata Banerjee including TMC's stand on coalgate scam. However, no decision has been taken yet...We will discuss the matter at the party level before taking any decision."

BJP has stepped up its attack against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA government and have demanded their resignation over the CAG report on coal block allocation, saying the prime minister was the coal minister for most of the time the allocation was made.

The opposition party has been stalling Parliament for two days in a row after the CAG report was tabled in Parliament on Friday.