Stand together or Govt falls: Pranab warns allies

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday reached out to its allies during a dinner hosted by the Prime Minister. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee warned allies that they all should stand together, otherwise the government could fall. "If we don't stand together, cut motions moved by the Opposition could pass. If we do not stick together the government could fall," Pranab told allies.

This even as Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is keeping the government guessing as none of her ministers attended the dinner.

At the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to keep the flock together on crucial financial business in Parliament, Pranab Mukherjee cautioned that amendments to the President's Address or cut motions to Budget could cost the government dearly.

Highly placed sources said procedures were explained to the allies at the dinner meeting which top parliamentary leaders of Trinamool skipped and a backbencher of the party was present.

Mukherjee said actions like the amendment tabled by Trinamool seeking deletion of a paragraph on NCTC in the President's Address could prove costly to the government, the sources said.

Asking Trinamool not to insist on the amendment and withdraw it, he said the party was part of the ruling coalition and it was not proper for it to resort to such actions.

"Procedures were explained. If cut motion adopted, then...," a source said.

The Trinamool representative Ratna De Nag, on her part, said her party was not for destabilising the government and only was keen on a good package for West Bengal.

Home Minister P Chidambaram though sought to downplay the issue. "TMC's representative was present in the meeting. others are busy as Bengal assembly is on. Every party's representative was here," he said.

Earlier in the day, Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee tabled amendment seeking deletion of paragraph on NCTC.

(With additional inputs from PTI)

Normally, amendments are tabled only by opposition and not by ruling constituents because if they are passed, the government has to go.