New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s two-day visit to Mumbai starting Tuesday has sparked intense political interest as she prepares to meet key officials of the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party as well as prominent businessmen.
These include NCP president Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray and MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut, all members of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, which also includes the Congress.
The senior NCP leader tweeted, “West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-ji will make a courtesy call on our party President Sharad Pawar Sahab’s residence ‘Silver Oak’ in Mumbai tomorrow at 3 pm.”
Raut and Thackeray Jr were to meet Banerjee this evening at a five-star hotel in south Mumbai’s Nariman Point, though the agenda of the meeting was not disclosed.
Banerjee arrived this evening to offer prayers at the iconic Sri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple in Prabhadevi, which holds significant religious significance for Maharashtrians.
She then went to Girgaum Chowpatty Beach to pay tribute to 26/11 hero, policeman Tukaram Omble, who had caught alive Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab at the height of the Mumbai terror attacks on November 27, 2008.
There was a lot of speculation about a possible meeting with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, but it was categorically dismissed as he is now recovering from spinal surgery, but he did inquire about his health from Raut.
West Bengal Chief Minister @mamatabanerjee is in Mumbai. He has inquired about the health of CM Uddhav Thackeray. She wanted to meet the CM, but due to health restrictions, the meeting is not taking place. Although I and @authackeray Will meet Mamta ji at Trident at 7.30 pm.
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) November 30, 2021
Banerjee is set to meet several prominent businessmen and corporate executives on Wednesday to woo them to invest in her state and invite them to the Bengal Global Business Summit to be held in April 2022.
West Bengal CM fails to assess ground reality
On the other hand, Congress’ Maharashtra general secretary and media coordinator Zakir Ahmed criticized Banerjee’s political approach, saying she failed to understand the ground reality and she should reject neo-political neo-politics like Prashant Kishor.
“Congress and Rahul Gandhi fight RSS, BJP and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi- (Home Minister) Amit Shah. But Mamata will challenge Rahul Gandhi and Congress. Knowingly or unknowingly, she is helping saffron groups and so on. Mistakes that Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav and others have committed in the past.
Coalition is impossible without Congress
Also, Malik of the NCP said that while Pawar has often stressed the need for all opposition parties to work together, such an alliance would be impossible without the Congress.
“We feel that if Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress can join hands in Maharashtra, AITC can also cooperate with Congress. If there are some differences, they can be resolved, let’s see,” Malik said.
(with inputs from agencies)
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