New Delhi, India: March 10, 2010 - IR Summary/TOI - Trinamool Congress chief and railway minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday attributed her party's abstention from voting on the Women's Reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha to a "communication gap" and said she was committed to the Constitutional amendment. 

In Rajya Sabha there are 2 associates. We were unaware... Communication gap was there," she told reporters outside Parliament.

She said during the meeting of allies with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, it was decided that an all party meeting would be called (on the Bill) where her party could also raise the issue of including minorities in women's reservation.

"But later on no meeting was called. We had no information," said Banerjee who was fuming yesterday and directed her two Rajya Sabha members not to vote.

While defending her decision to abstain from voting, she said, "Our party is committed to the Bill. We will do it."

Congress President Sonia Gandhi had yesterday expressed surprise over Trinamool's abstention, saying Banerjee had been "enthusiastic" when the bill was discussed in a Cabinet meeting.

When pointed out that Left was taking all the credit for the successful passage of the Bill in the Upper House, Banerjee RPT Banerjee said Left never wanted quota for women in the Rajya Sabha as it was against letting common women enter the Upper House.

Yesterday, Trinamool MP Dinesh Trivedi had said his party chief required the viewpoint of the Dalits, OBCs and Muslims to be taken on board. "But unfortunately that did not happen. Trinamool Congress is for argument and discussion," he had said.

Attacking the Left, Mamata said while her party supports the bill, "Please remember, that it is no CPM's bill."

Mamata said the subject of share for minorities has also been mentioned in Srikrishna commission and Sachar committee reports.

"Srikrishna commission and Sachar committee have finished their report. There are some grievances over minorities also, they want to discuss the matter," she said on her party's stand on including minorities in women's reservation in Lok Sabha and State assemblies.

To a question on her party's stand when the bill is tabled in the Lok Sabha, she said the party will take a decision when it happens. "We will see when it comes," she said.