Mamata pullout gets brickbats, bouquets

Kolkata - Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's decision to withdraw support to the UPA government has earned her laurels and flak among the netizens in West Bengal.

"Didi, we thank you... Your decision is well timed and appropriate," Rajib Mukherjee posted on Banerjee's official page.

Minutes after announcing the decision Tuesday night, Banerjee posted a statement thanking the people of Bengal for providing her the strength to take a tough decision.

"I salute to our Maa Maati Manush. Thanks to all of you for your support. Thank you so much," Banerjee posted.

"Didi u r great, we all support u," posted Anirban Basu.

"Thank you Didi for taking a decision in favour of common man. Do they (Congress) feel the country belongs to them," Utpal Dutta posted.

But a section of Facebook users questioned Banerjee's decision and her silence over corruption for three years.

"Didi, Why don't you speak about corruption in UPA as this is bigger issue than FDI? What were you doing for last three years?" posted Shambhu.

Some felt Banerjee was up to her political gimmicks.

"Why there was no protest when electricity tariff has been increased five times after your government came to power," asked Mohammed Salimullah.

"(Railway Minister) Mukul Roy was not capable enough to become a cabinet minister... otherwise he could have protested the decisions in the cabinet meeting itself," posted Paromita Sen.

The reference was to the central government's decisions to hike diesel prices, cap the number of subsidized cooking gas cylinders each family can get in a year and allow foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail.