Mamata reaches Delhi on 5-day visit; to meet PM, oppn leaders

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in Delhi on Monday on her first visit to the national capital since assuming office for a third term and is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

According to a schedule of her five-day visit provided by her Trinamool Congress, Banerjee is slated to meet Modi at 4 pm on Tuesday.

Banerjee is likely to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday, sources said.

She is also scheduled to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and a host of other party leaders, including Kamal Nath, Anand Sharma and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

During her visit to Delhi amid the Monsoon session of Parliament, she is likely to meet leaders of other opposition parties as well.

The Trinamool Congress supremo, who apparently seeks to take up a larger role in national politics prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha election, is visiting Delhi for the first time after leading her party to power in West Bengal for the third time in a row.

Banerjee left Kolkata for Delhi after attending a special state cabinet meeting. She did not talk to newspersons at the N S C Bose International Airport in Kolkata.

Banerjee had told reporters earlier that the PM has given time to her for a meeting later this week.

She had, however, refused to disclose details of her scheduled meeting with Modi.

TMC sources said that during her visit from July 26-30, she may also go to Parliament where the Monsoon session is underway.

On her Delhi visit, the BJP's West Bengal unit alleged that Banerjee wants to be away from the state for a few days as she is facing criticism over the fake Covid vaccination scandal, post-poll violence and other issues.

Her efforts to unite opposition parties will not succeed, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh claimed.