To cobble together a “non-Congress, non-Bharatiya Janata Party” front at the national level, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Janata Dal-United’s Sharad Yadav, Samajwadi Party’s Ramgopal Yadav and Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal will meet at Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar’s residence on Wednesday. Pawar propounded the idea.
Banerjee visited Parliament on Tuesday. It was her first visit as West Bengal chief minister to her party’s office in Parliament.
A delighted Banerjee, accompanied by her MPs, did a survey of the room, (it came after a six-year long wait), appeared satisfied with the facilities and then proceeded to welcome a series of high-profile Opposition leaders - Pawar, Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sharad Yadav, Biju Janata Dal’s Bhartuhari Mahtab, who had dropped in to meet her.
The chief minister also complimented Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her “aggressive stance” at the Central Hall of Parliament. Sonia reportedly returned the compliment by saying she had learnt it from Banerjee.
A smiling Banerjee chatted with journalists who were waiting in her room, urging them “to feel at home” and scolding both MPs and reporters who refused to eat sweets offered by her. Banerjee is slated to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday for seeking Central assistance for the floods in Bengal. She has also invited Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for dinner. With 34 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 12 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, the TMC leader was a much sought-after person.
The newly white-washed walls of the TMC office, adorned with artist and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Jogen Chowdhury’s painting, also had two prominent photographs of Banerjee.
When Banerjee saw Jaya Bachchan, actress and Rajya Sabha MP, (who is also a Bengali) was not keen to step in to the crowded room, she rushed to her calling “Jaya di”.
Over endless cups of coffee and tea, the TMC chief chatted freely, refusing to field serious questions and laughing off prospects of Bills being passed in this session, as was being purported by the government.
The Bengal chief minister will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee. She will inaugurate the Biswa Bangla state emporium on Wednesday.
