Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee, the comeback queen of Bengal, wants her pound of flesh. After inflicting a body blow to the Left in the elections, and emerging the Congress' prized ally, "Didi" is driving a hard bargain.
Late on Tuesday night, the Trinamool Congress chief arrived in Delhi in an aircraft, especially chartered by the Congress.
After a brief meeting with Pranab Mukherjee in the morning, she attended the meeting of UPA allies and pushed for her 2-point agenda: Portfolios and pressure on the Left.
Publically, she may not bargain for portfolios. "I don't care about portfolios. I care about people," she had recently said.
But sources say she won't accept anything less than the number given to DMK.
And there are also subtle hints about the kind of portfolios she wants.
"Industries and agriculture should go hand in hand."
One portfolio Mamata is sure to gun for is Minister of State for Home -- something that will help her keep the Left Front government in West Bengal under pressure.
"We talked about political atrocities in Kerala and West Bengal. I suggested the prime minister talk to the home secretaries to restore peace."
Mamata desperately wants to keep the heat on the Left. Some say she may even give up a ministerial berth for this.
In fact, she's so determined that she wants the West Bengal assembly polls advanced.