Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is all set to set foot in Kolkata to commemorate Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary, is likely to share the stage with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

According to a report by Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika, Banerjee has been invited to the cultural programme at Victoria Memorial hall on Saturday, which will mark the beginning of a year-long celebration in the memory of Netaji.

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Reportedly, the details released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has revealed that Banerjee has been invited to give a speech at the event. West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s name is also there among the speakers.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister will begin his tour of Kolkata with a speech at an international seminar dedicated to Netaji at the National Library. Subsequently, he will travel to the Victoria Memorial.

Prominent Bengali celebrities on January 23 will take part in the Modi-led Netaji’s birth anniversary celebrations. Bengali singers Usha Utthup, Somlata Acharyya and Anwesha will perform at the culture event. Assamese singer Papon is also on the list that contains names of all the performers.

According to the details released by the PMO on Thursday, the programme will begin with a display of child artists performing on the song ‘Kadam Kadam Bachaye Ja’.

This will be followed by performances from the singers. The event will mark its conclusion with everyone sharing voice to sing the Azad Hind Fauj’s national anthem ‘Shubh Sukh Chain’.

The central government earlier this month had formed a high-level committee to commemorate Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary.

The 85-member committee, which will be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also include Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was formed to overlook the year-long celebration for Bose, from January 23, 2021 to the same day in 2022.

On the other hand, the West Bengal government has formed a separate committee to plan Netaji’s 125th birth anniversary celebrations.

The committee – led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee – boasts a similar demography as its central counterpart. However, there are not many eminent personalities from outside Bengal.

As West Bengal heads towards a much-talked-about Assembly Election, the political parties are busy appeasing the cultural and social icons of the state.

Netaji, being one of the most prominent figures of Bengal since pre-independence, has been a major talking point ahead of the election with both BJP and TMC trying to emerge as the better servant of his cause.

Meanwhile, the Centre on Tuesday renamed the Howrah-Kalka Mail as Netaji Express. It also declared that his birth anniversary on January 23 would be celebrated every year as ‘Parikram Diwas’.