West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (PTI)
Kolkata: In a surprise move, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday visited BJP Rajya Sabha MP Nagendra Roy, popularly known as ‘Ananta Maharaj’ to his Rajbanshi community, at his residence in Coochbehar and held a meeting with him.
The Trinamul Congress supremo’s sudden interaction with the influential Rajbanshi community leader at home after her party's victory at Coochbehar seat in the Lok Sabha Election in the northern district has left the BJP fuming.
Ms Banerjee, who had rushed to Siliguri on Monday to visit the injured passengers of the Kanchenjunga Express train accident, travelled to Coochbehar on Tuesday. She offered puja at Madan Mohan Temple in the district town in the morning.
Till then, her next destination was a secret. Later the CM, accompanied by her cabinet colleague Aroop Biswas, went to the BJP MP's house. Mr Roy, who was waiting at his doorstep, welcomed Ms Banerjee with Uttariyo, a symbolic attire of his community.
He also gifted her Gua-Pan (areca nut, betel leaf) which is a tradition of his community. After Ms Banerjee left, Mr Roy said that the CM came to him for only a chat which was apolitical.
Ms Banerjee’s meeting however appeared to be her bid to praise the role Mr Roy had played in swinging the Rajbanshi votebank from BJP to TMC and ensure the defeat of his opposite faction in his community and party MP Nishit Pramanik this time.
Within hours of the meeting, many BJP leaders including MLAs complained to state leadership against Mr Roy. Asked about it, state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said, “We know Ananta Maharaj is with us till now.”
The Trinamul Congress supremo’s sudden interaction with the influential Rajbanshi community leader at home after her party's victory at Coochbehar seat in the Lok Sabha Election in the northern district has left the BJP fuming.
Ms Banerjee, who had rushed to Siliguri on Monday to visit the injured passengers of the Kanchenjunga Express train accident, travelled to Coochbehar on Tuesday. She offered puja at Madan Mohan Temple in the district town in the morning.
Till then, her next destination was a secret. Later the CM, accompanied by her cabinet colleague Aroop Biswas, went to the BJP MP's house. Mr Roy, who was waiting at his doorstep, welcomed Ms Banerjee with Uttariyo, a symbolic attire of his community.
He also gifted her Gua-Pan (areca nut, betel leaf) which is a tradition of his community. After Ms Banerjee left, Mr Roy said that the CM came to him for only a chat which was apolitical.
Ms Banerjee’s meeting however appeared to be her bid to praise the role Mr Roy had played in swinging the Rajbanshi votebank from BJP to TMC and ensure the defeat of his opposite faction in his community and party MP Nishit Pramanik this time.
Within hours of the meeting, many BJP leaders including MLAs complained to state leadership against Mr Roy. Asked about it, state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said, “We know Ananta Maharaj is with us till now.”
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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