Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in Calcutta on Saturday. Telegraph picture

Calcutta, Nov. 17: Mamata Banerjee has signalled that she is ready to do business with the BJP to bring the Congress down.

The Bengal chief minister today announced the Trinamul Congress’s decision to bring a no-confidence motion against the Manmohan Singh government in the winter session of Parliament beginning next week.

Mamata did not name the BJP when she issued her appeal to “all political parties to support the motion”.

But asked whether her appeal to all political parties included former ally BJP, Mamata said it was wrong for the BJP to be dubbed “untouchable”.

“When the Congress talks to the BJP, it is touchable. When other political parties want to talk to BJP on political reasons, political grounds then it is untouchable. This cannot be. The Prime Minister sits with Sushmaji, Soniaji sits with Advaniji, Sushmaji, that is not faulty. Why will it be faulty issue for Trinamul Congress? This is not a religious issue, vote-bank or alliance issue. This is the corruption and motherland issue,” Mamata said while briefing the media after a 45-minute meeting with Trinamul MPs at Writers’ Buildings.

Trinamul sources said Mamata had to give the clarification on having any truck with the BJP as it could upset her minority vote-bank.

“With the panchayat polls around the corner, she cannot afford to upset the minorities. She has clarified that she is looking for support from all political parties and not the BJP alone and this is on a national issue. Not too much should be read into this,” said a senior Trinamul MP close to Mamata.

For the no-confidence motion to be admitted, Mamata would need the support of 50 MPs. Trinamul has 19 MPs, including the rebel Kabir Suman who stayed away from today’s meet. She would have to rope in 31 MPs from other parties to get the ball rolling on the no-confidence motion.

Both the BJP and the Left reacted with caution to Mamata’s call. The BJP said such decisions had to be taken through a proper process while the Left termed her appeal a “gimmick”.

Drive against FDI

The Left would launch a signature campaign across the country to garner support against the Centre’s move to introduce foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail. CPM politburo member S. Ramchandra Pillai said the campaign would start on December 1 to collect over 5 crore signatures, including 18 lakh in Bihar alone.