UPA government won’t last more than three months: Mamata

While the rest of India thinks general elections are not due for another year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday claimed that the United Progressive Alliance government had only two or three months left before it would be forced to call elections.

"There is another two or three months after which the Lok Sabha elections will be held," Mamata said during a programme on International Women's Day in Kolkata which she was attending.

Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief and two-time union railways minister, has consistently opposed fiscal liberalisation in favour of populist measures.

"If someone thinks that they will stifle Bengal's voice and stop railway projects, they can't do it. I have done whatever has to be done," Banerjee said.

Banerjee reiterated that the Centre was taking away funds from the state in the form of interest on loans.

The more acute political observers had seen her withdrawal from the UPA government as a calculated tactical move based on the premise that no party was likely to get a ruling majority on its own in the next country-level elections; and her party would have major leverage in any formation that comes into power.