New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) On the eve of her meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress today downplayed Mamata Banerjee's opposition to NCTC insisting that it was "not unnatural" for the West Bengal Chief Minister to have "some concerns." "She is president of her party and Chief Minister. She has some concerns and I don't think it is unnatural or unwarranted," Senior Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed, who is in charge of party affairs in West Bengal, told reporters. Ahmed was asked whether Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is a key constituent of the ruling UPA, was acting as an opposition leader by raking up several issues, including objection to the NCTC. "Differences of opinion among allies is not uncommon in this part of the world. If two alliance partners discuss and a way ahead is found, it is always good," he said dismissing suggestions that the strains between the party and Trinamool Congress have grown. Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, speaking separately, said it was unlikely that Banerjee would raise any issue pertaining to his ministry as it was quick to grant sanction to proposals from the state. "If there are any other political issue, it is between Mamata, the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister," he said. A senior Congress leader, who declined to be identified, suggested that there was unlikely to be much cordiality in ties with Trinmool Congress in the near future "given Banerjee's habit of creating one problem after another" for the Centre and Congress. Seeking to step up her campaign on the Farakka barrage broken sluice gates issue which she claimed allowed "excess" Ganges water flow to Bangladesh, Banerjee would flag her concern at her meeting with the Prime Minister.
