KOLKATA, May 13 (IANS): Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister in waiting Mamata Banerjee Friday said she wished to keep the rail ministry with her party and added that she will solve the Maoist and the Gorkhaland problems in the state in three months.
"We wish to keep the railway ministry with our party only as part of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance). We have only one union ministry so we want to keep it with us. We think we deserve it. But the prime minister will take the decision in the cabinet," said Banerjee in an interview to a private Bengali news channel.
Banerjee is currently heading the railway ministry and is an important ally of the United Progressive Alliance government.
"I love the Junglemahal area. The Junglemahal, after so much trouble, also have voted in favour of democracy. We will solve the Maoist problems in three months. I will try my level best to sort out the Junglemahal and Gorkhaland problem within three months," said Banerjee.
The three Maoists affected districts of West Bengal - Bankura, West Midnapore, Purulia - are commonly known as Junglemahal.
Asked on her stand in the ongoing joint forces operations in the Junglemahal area, Banerjee said: "I will talk to (Home Minister P.) Chidambaram. First let us form the government and the cabinet. Then we will solve the problem in a peaceful way."
There are some technical and administrative issues, so there is no need to worry about it. We will solve it," she said.
On taking over as the chief minister, the Trinamool supremo said: "I have already mentioned my agenda in my manifesto. I need seven days to understand the whole work. Give me a few days, I will do everything for the development of Bengal."
Banerjee added that she has not decided on the formation of the cabinet, but added that Congress and Socialist Unity Centre of India-Communist (SUCI-C) will be a part of her cabinet.
The Trinamool Congress and the Congress alliance swept the Bengal assembly polls to end the 34-year rule of the Left Front.
