Mamata, Kejriwal dinner meet fuels political speculation
12 Aug 2015 5:41 AM IST
Political observers are very keen on knowing the outcome of the meeting as many see it as a “longer political bonding” between two parties in near future. Banerjee met the Delhi CM at her nephew and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee’s 183 South Avenue residence at around 8.30 pm.
Though it was termed as a “courtesy meeting” by the party insiders - the dinner is certainly going to have an impact in the political fraternity because Banerjee has backed Delhi Chief Minister, when he was having a power battle with the Centre and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.
Earlier on May 25, in the midst of turf war between the Centre and Kejriwal, TMC supremo extended support to him by expressing that in a federal system elected body should respect each other.
“Too much interference in the federal structure is unacceptable. The state government is an elected body. <g data-gr-id="43">Central</g> government is also an elected body. Every elected body has its own jurisdiction. One must respect the other,” Banerjee, who had asked people to vote in favour of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) through social networking sites, had said.
Later, on April 30, Kejriwal called her up to congratulate for the massive victory in the Bengal municipal elections.
Many feel that Kejriwal’s eagerness to meet Mamata and his recent meeting with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could be an attempt to create an anti-BJP wave among the regional parties ahead of crucial elections in many states.
Banerjee who is in Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday will raise her demand for compensation to the flood-affected farmers in Bengal. She arrived on Monday evening and likely to go back to her home state on August 13.
During the day, Banerjee went to the Central Hall in the Parliament around 1 pm and interacted with several leaders including Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, JD (U) chief Sharad Yadav, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and discussed recent political developments at TMC office room.
Around 4 pm, she inaugurated the “Biswa Bangla” stall at A-2, State Emporia Complex at Baba Kharak Singh Marg and had a firsthand experience of the products. She also bought a ladies handbag and lauded the work of Bengal’s artisan.
At Rajya Sabha, TMC MP Vivek Gupta makes a Zero Hour Mention demanding immediate relief from Centre for flood-affected people in West Bengal. The party leaders have raised the issue of getting immediate relief from Centre for flood-affected people in Bengal.
Speaking on the issue, Gupta said that the West Bengal Chief Minister has stated that the total damages have been estimated at Rs 30,000 crore due to the floods, but yet Bengal has got no response from the Central Government. He pointed out that 12 districts have been affected, 100 people have died and lost their lives, yet the Central government has not responded till now. “We urged the centre to provide immediate relief to the people of West Bengal,” he said.
Sonia-Mamata ‘bonhomie’ in Parliament House
Amid Congress protests in Parliament, Sonia Gandhi is understood to have come in for praise from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during their informal interaction in Parliament House on Tuesday.
Sources said while Banerjee greeted Gandhi in the Central Hall and is learnt to have told her that she was giving a good fight to the BJP-led government, the Congress chief is understood to have said she had learnt this from the Trinamool supremo. The Banerjee-Gandhi meeting came a day ahead of the West Bengal chief minister’s talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Banerjee is here to meet Modi primarily to seek central assistance for the flood-hit state. Banerjee was earlier part of the Congress and was known as a ‘street-fighter’ who had virtually single-handedly ousted the Left Front after a 34-year rule.
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