Mamata seeks BJP support for trust vote

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has approached the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to support her no-confidence motion against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government during the winter session of the Parliament.

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Sunday said that Banerjee, chief of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) -- an estranged ally of the Congress, had called up BJP's Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

"Mamata Banerjee has approached Sushma Swaraj [over the no-confidence motion]. When Swaraj is back from Mumbai after Bal Thackeray´s funeral, we will sit and discuss the issue," Joshi was quoted as saying.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is likely to meet on Monday to discuss the issue, he added.

Banerjee on Saturday had said her party would bring a no-confidence motion against the UPA government during the winter session of the parliament beginning on Nov 22.

She said the motion would be moved on the very first day of winter session. It would be moved by TMC lawmaker Sudip Bandopadhayay, she said.

After meeting TMC parliamentarians at the West Bengal secretariat Writers´ Buildings, Banerjee said her party, which walked out of the government over economic reforms, especially FDI in multi-brand retail, would bring the no-confidence motion against the Manmohan Singh government.

"This government has no moral right to remain in power. We are bringing a no-confidence motion in the lower house (Lok Sabha)," she told reporters.

"What is going on is loot and jhoot (lies)," she said.

She also appealed to all other parties to support her in toppling the government of Manmohan Singh.