The West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee left for Delhi today amid speculation about an attempt by the Trinamul Congress to unite the opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to oust the BJP from the centre.
Miss Banerjee left for Delhi at 3.35 p.m. and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 28 apart from her scheduled meeting with President Ram Nath Kovind during her stay. Sources in the state secretariat indicated that Miss Banerjee’s meeting with the PM will mainly focus on the vaccine supply in the wake of a threat of a third wave of the coronavirus.
Apart from vaccines, several issues are also likely to be raised such as the appointment of the DGP and the financial aid post-Cyclone Yaas that devastated large parts of coastal areas in Bengal.
The chief minister, however, did not reveal to the Press what exactly her schedule will be during her stay in Delhi for the next four days. Banerjee is expected to host a tea for opposition leaders at 3 p.m. on July 28, possibly at the home of her nephew, and Trinamool Congress MP and General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee in Delhi.
It may be recalled that recently during the Martyr’s Day speech, Miss Banerjee had claimed that she is not being able to speak to Opposition leaders and other CMs fearing her phone is being tapped. Hence it is believed her guest list at Delhi would include leaders from Congress to DMK, TRS to RJD and from Akali Dal to AAP.
Attending Banerjee’s Martyrs Day speech were Chidambaram, Sharad Pawar, Digvijaya Singh, the NCP’s Supriya Sule, the DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, Keshav Rao of the TRS and Manoj Jha from the RJD among others.
However, at present, there is no official confirmation as to whether Miss Banerjee would be meeting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi but sources in the party indicated that there is a possibility including that of meeting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Mamata is also likely to go to Parliament during her stay in Delhi.