In a curious development Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday met BJP Rajya Sabha member and president of Greater Cooch Behar People's Association Anant Roy at his residence in Cooch Behar. The two leaders met for about 35 minutes, sources said.
The significant development comes close on the heels of the BJP getting a resounding defeat at the hands of the Trinamool Congress losing the Cooch Behar seat in North Bengal considered to be a strong bastion of the saffron outfit
Banerjee who left for Siliguri on Monday evening to meet the passengers injured in the Kanchenjangha Express accident on Tuesday met Nagendra Roy also known as Anant Maharaj causing much flutter in the State BJP leadership.
The two leaders met hours after a team of central BJP leaders led by former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb and Ravishankar Prasad visited the district to inquire into the incidents of post electoral violence that has left hundreds of saffron workers injured or homeless. "The Chief Minister is a big dignitary and so Anant Maharaj welcomed him at his Chakchaka Palace with a traditional scarf and guwa paan (betel leaf)," local GCPA sources said not ruling out the possibilities of political talks taking place between the two leaders. "When two politicians meet they do not discuss IPL or films … they have to discuss social and political issues," said a senior GCPA leader.
The BJP State leadership however remained tightlipped even as the development came amid reports of mass exodus from the saffron outfit leading to the TMC capturing about half-a-dozen panchayats in the past one week or so.
Earlier the TMC The TMC wrested the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat from the former Union Minister Nisith Pramanik provoking a political controversy as State BJP leader and MLA Shankar Ghosh showed how changing demographic pattern was influencing election results in many seats.
The Tuesday's development comes weeks after Maharaj criticizing the BJP for not doing a thing for the people of North Bengal, particularly the Rajbangshi and the Cooch Behar cause. Just before the elections he said: "the BJP has done nothing for the Rajbangshis people in the past five years. I don't know why they don't keep their commitments. Our demand has always been for a separate state … but the Union Government committed a Union Territory. The people want a separate State and the Government must give it to us… you cannot blame the State for this."
Another GCPA leader Nirmal Roy too attacked the BJP for ignoring the cause of the people of North Bengal. "The BJP has failed to fulfill its promise of making North Bengal a separate Union Territory and Cooch Behar a state … therefore there is no reason that our people will go to join their meeting . Therefore, I believe there is no reason for the people of Cooch Behar to attend their rallies," he said before a pre-election BJP rally.
Meanwhile, in a curious development the BJP workers protested against the visiting central inquiring into the post-poll violence in the state, alleging how the State leaders were not caring for their safety. "No State leaders are coming to see how we are and what we are facing and how we are being tortured and attacked by the TMC goons," the BJP men said. The central BJP team consists of Biplab Deb, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Rajya Sabha MPs Brij Lal and Kavita Patidar.
Deb told reporters that post-poll violence had become a trend set by TMC after election results. In no other state such attacks took place he said adding, "the TMC should control this situation for peace to return." Deb also appealed to State Governor CV Ananda Bose to take action. The team would submit a report to the national BJP president JP Nadda.
