engal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday left for Mumbai to attend the Friday's wedding ceremony of industrialist Mukesh Ambani's son Anant Ambani. Banerjee who is likely to hit multiple birds in a single shot will meet a number of senior leaders like Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav during her stay in Mumbai. Anant is marrying businesswoman and classical dancer Radhika Merchant.
Banerjee's Mumbai trip marks her first meeting with national leaders since the Lok Sabha elections, highlighting the significance of her visit. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to attend the wedding Banerjee may met him also during her three-day stay in India's commercial capital.
On what gift she was carrying for the wedding couple, none would hazard a guess though some insiders said, "when it is Didi then expect something outstanding." According to sources another celebrity from Kolkata's Tollywood film industry Raima Sen the daughter of actress Moon Sen also have been invited to the wedding.
Speaking to reporters before catching the flight Banerjee said, "I have been invited by Mukesh-ji and Nita-ji (Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani) to attend the wedding of Anant and Radhika.
They requested me so many times. Therefore I am going to Mumbai to attend the wedding. Before that, I will meet Uddhav Thackeray. We will hold political talks as I am meeting him after a long time, especially after the Lok Sabha polls.
I will also meet Sharad Pawar at his residence. Akhilesh will also be there tomorrow.
So I might meet him as well depending on when he arrives."
Banerjee who is looking to forge a united opposition to protest against the three new criminal laws Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) --- that have from July 1 replaced Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Evidence Act --- is likely to discuss the modalities of the joint movement against the three laws, sources said.
According to her these new legislations would rob the people off their rights. Sources said the CM had instructed Trinamool MPs to be vocal against any anti-people measures of BJP govt. The Chief Minister who will possibly put up at a private hotel at Bandra-Kurla complex is likely to return to Kolkata on July 13, sources said adding she could also visit Delhi if required discuss the issue with other leaders. Banerjee's Mumbai trip assumes importance in the backdrop of her party's stupendous victory in the recently concluded parliamentary elections when her Trinamool Congress won 29 seats compared to opposition BJP's 12 and the Congress' one.
More confident than ever before after the general elections Banerjee --- who has for the past more than a decade been unsuccessfully trying to bring investors including the Ambanis to Bengal in a big way --- is likely to use her Ambani connections to make successful her government's annual Bengal Global Business Summit, experts say.
Curiously Banerjee who leaves no chance to attack the BJP Government would not utter a word unlike the Congress or the Left post hike in mobile-internet charges. Referring to her Mumbai visit CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakrabarty said "though there is no harm in a person attending the wedding ceremony of another person … the question is whether the Chief Minister supports the hike in mobile rates … perhaps she is not …she has also not spoken a word against the hike in power bills by the power companies because her party has been taking donations from them."
Meanwhile in a parallel development Bengal Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday met Home Minister Amit Shah and reported to him about the deteriorating law and order situation of the State that included post poll violence and incidents of public flogging of common people by the TMC goons.
Adhikari subsequently said that he had reported to the Home minister "about the atrocities committed against women in Chopra (where a woman was publicly flogged along with her alleged partner), Cooch Behar (where a lady BJP Minority Morcha Karyakarta was disrobed and beaten), and Ariadaha (where a woman was held by her hands and legs and beaten with sticks), among others." Shah is known to have assured all help, sources said.
The Chief Minister however refuted the BJP leaders' claims saying, "some television news channels continuously highlighted one incident but didn't show how peaceful the election was held in the state. Whenever there is something against the TMC, these channels get excited. If someone is guilty, action will be taken. Channels need to cross-check before broadcasting news.
They are forced to do so or else the BJP will send CBI, ED and Income Tax Department after them. I am making an appeal now. If this continues, I will have to take legal action."
