Modi-Mamata spat may delay solution to Teesta water deal

Bangladesh's ruling dispensation would be watching with unease the furious verbal exchanges between India's ruling BJP and West Bengal's ruling Trinamul Congress after the Nov 8 demonetisation.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has even accused the federal government of trying to kill her by denying her return flight to Kolkata earlier this week landing permission for a long time when it was running low on fuel.

In the past two days, she has even said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was using the army to stage a 'coup' against her.

That after the army took positions on the Second Hooghly Bridge as part of its annual disaster management exercise.

While both allegations have been laughed off by the BJP with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikkr saying Mamata was 'only giving vent to her frustrations,' this does point to a sharp nosedive in relations between the Indian and the West Bengal government.

Mamata Banerjee. Reuters file photo

Mamata has taken the lead role in trying to garner Opposition unity against the BJP over the demonetisation, even reaching out to her arch rivals, the Communists, to join the fight against 'notebandi'(currency crisis).

This comes at a time when Delhi is trying to work out a consensus with Kolkata over the Teesta River water sharing deal.

India has assured Bangladesh ahead of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Delhi this month that efforts to work out the Teesta deal were in the 'final stages'.

Officials at the Ministry of External Affairs say political differences may not impact a national decision involving a friendly neighbour like Bangladesh.

But analysts say that assessment may be 'far too optimistic'.

The Modi government has always made it clear that it wanted to work out a consensus with Mamata , who wants a fair deal for North Bengal in the Teesta deal.

Narendra Modi. Reuters file photo

"But the way relations between Modi and Mamata has nosedived after demonetisation, it seems unlikely the Bengal chief minister will oblige Modi now," says Binoda Mishra of Kolkata-based think tank Centre for Studies in International Relations & Development (CSIRD).

Even those who could see Mamata warming up to Bangladesh in recent months are worried.

"She was trying to look positive on Bangladesh, her assurance to Hasina that she could have faith in her was significant," said Bangladesh-watcher Bimal Pramanik.

It would be a huge feather in Modi's cap if he could push through the Teesta deal, which his predecessor Manmohan Singh failed.

But that is precisely why Mamata may try to deny Modi a breakthrough on Teesta.

Bangladesh diplomats in India have maintained close rapport with the Bengal government to get the deal through.

"We would like to repose our faith in both the Indian government and Mamata Banerjee's government in finding a solution to the Teesta issue," said Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali.

Some would say Dhaka has no choice but to wait and watch, but Delhi is under huge pressure to oblige Hasina for all her support to India on a host of issues.