In a curious development Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday held discussions for more than two-and-half hours in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma almost 700 km away from Kolkata at the former’s summer palace in Darjeeling.
While the Chief Minister assured that the trio discussed no politics among them Congress Lok Sabha Leader Adhir Chowdhury interpreted Wednesday’s meeting as a prelude to a secret parley between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister.
“I was in Darjeeling and the Governor too arrived here on an official visit … he invited me to the Raj Bhavan here and I responded,” the Chief Minister said adding she and Biswa Sarma knew each other from a long time and that “Hemant ji too had some works here and we had a chance meeting … I had only a cup of tea and biscuits… No politics was discussed,” Banerjee said when asked whether the leaders discussed presidential elections.
Hours earlier the Governor attacked the State Government and asked the State civil society to “break silence and highlight worrisome governance scenario of extreme appeasement, communalised patronage, Mafia Syndicate Extortion in the state as this would help to enhance of democratic values and human rights protection.”
He also said that “many statements were made” regarding development, investment and job creation but not one was reflected on the ground.
Elsewhere the TMC leaders like Idris Ali hit the Governor back saying he was a “communal person.” Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee said Raj Bhavan was being reduced to a place of drama.
Meanwhile, speaking on the two-and-a-half hour parley far away in Darjeeling Adhir Chowdhury said that the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister were working on a “hidden agenda,” adding “It is normal for Didi to sit and have tea with the Governor and the Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, in Darjeeling. PM Modi and Didi both want Congress-mukt Bharat and these hidden meetings will happen between Didi and the BJP ahead of the 2024 elections to decide how the Citizenship Amendment Act will be used.”