In an apparent bid to steer clear of any controversy on the sensitive Teesta water-sharing issue, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh only for a “part” of the trip, sources at the State Secretariat Nabanna said.
Mamata is likely to go to Dhaka separately and not strictly as part of the Prime Ministerial delegation sources said, adding she in all likelihood will leave for Bangladesh on June 5, a day ahead of Modi whose two-day Dhaka trip begins on June 6. Mamata will also return a day before the Prime Minister.
According to sources, Mamata has decided to remain present during the signing of the land Boundary Agreement which she backed in Parliament. However, as she still has some reservations on Teesta water sharing plans, she is not willing to risk future controversy particularly during an election year by taking part in any discussion on that issue.
Though the Chief Minister is not sure as to whether Teesta will come up during various engagements at the top-most level during Modi's visit she is playing it safe by skirting "that part of the tour altogether" Nabanna sources said.
"The Chief Minister has given her assent to the Chit Mahal (enclave) agreement, but she still has some reservations over the Teesta water sharing. She wants a settlement so that both the people of Bangladesh and those in North Bengal are benefitted," a senior Trinamool Congress leader said.
The flow of water in River Teesta comes down drastically in the lean season between October/November to April/May hampering agriculture in both the countries. Mamata is not willing to further cut down on the water that the people of North Bengal get by allowing larger share to Bangladesh.
According to estimates, though Teesta has a mean annual flow of 60 billion cubic metres, taking into account the wet seasons between June and September, its water reduces to 500 million cubic metres per month during the lean season.
"One cannot say that the left Front had done a great job pushing for the Ganga water sharing agreement. Today the people of Bengal are suffering because of that. The Chief Minister will not like to make a similar mistake. She only wants the Rudra Committee to take a view on the issue before taking a final decision," said another leader close to the Chief Minister.
Mamata had in the final moment dropped out of a similar tour of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2012.