Mamata Banerjee who sees “more than hundred miles” for every step she takes is sending invitations to high-profile personalities like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutan and Bangladesh counterparts Tshering Tobgay and Sheikh Hasina for her swearing-in ceremony on May 27, Trinamool Congress sources said.
Akhilesh Yadav, Nitish Kumar and Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi, respectively, are also among the elite invitees, apart from RJD chief laloo Yadav and top NCP leaders, her party sources said on Saturday.
In an apparent show of strength the Chief Minister has for the first time decided to break the tradition and take oath on the Red Road where more than a lakh people can be accommodated instead of Raj Bhavan.
Observers also feel that the meticulously chosen Friday and the venue itself for oath-taking is step to please the minority gallery. Red Road is the biggest congregation point for Muslims to offer prayer on Eid. “Friday is auspicious for me and I will take oath on that day” Banerjee has gone on record saying.
Sources said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury are also getting invitation as a measure to rub salt to injury at a time the combined Opposition is crying hoarse against the ongoing political violence. With 2019 in her mind the Congress chief is unlikely to give the swearing-in a miss, some Congress leaders said.