Narendra Modi Telegraph picture
The Centre adopted a conciliatory approach towards chief minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of Narendra Modi’s two-day Bengal visit from Saturday by inviting her to the Prime Minister’s events, and sources in the state government hinted at reciprocation.
Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union minister of state for shipping (independent charge), on Friday called on Mamata at Nabanna to formally invite her to the Calcutta Port Trust programmes to be attended by Modi.
“The Union minister personally came to invite the chief minister to the CPT programmes. The chief minister extended a warm welcome to him. Although the chief minister didn’t promise anything, it is likely that she will attend all the programmes where the Prime Minister will be present,” a senior state government official said.
Modi, sources said, is likely to meet veteran industrialists in Calcutta on Saturday evening.
Two of the four events that Modi will attend in Calcutta will be organised by the CPT. The Prime Minister is scheduled to flag off a light-and-sound show on Howrah bridge from Millennium Park on Saturday evening, before formally kicking off the 150-year celebrations of the CPT on Sunday morning, along with a slew of projects in Calcutta, including riverfront development, and Haldia.
Modi will also throw open four heritage buildings, including the Old Currency Building and Victoria Memorial Hall, that have been refurbished by the Union culture ministry. He will visit Belur Math on Saturday evening.
The Nabanna sources said Mamata was likely to attend all the programmes where Modi would be present. She also plans to accompany the Prime Minister to Belur Math, according to the sources.
The chief minister is likely to hold a one-to-one meeting with the Prime Minister at Raj Bhavan on Saturday night.
“The chief minister respects the federal structure of the country and she will always respond to her constitutional duties. She might fight against issues such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the NRC as a political leader, but she would not do anything that would strain the Centre-state relationship,” said an official.
The sources said Mamata believed that if the Centre was making a conciliatory gesture, there was no point creating an atmosphere of conflict.
Mandaviya said the government would extend all help if the state wanted to develop the Tajpur port on its own. He added the Centre was also open to participating in the greenfield port development proposed at the estuary of the Hooghly and the Bay of Bengal.
“If the state wants to do it, we (the Centre) have no problem. If they want us to participate, we will. There will be all required cooperation. After all, it will be built in this country and will benefit the nation,” Mandaviya said.
Airport barricades
Barricades had been placed in front of the Calcutta airport gate through which Modi was scheduled to come out after landing around 3.30pm on Saturday, in view of protest calls.
Later, police and airport sources said the Prime Minister would be flown in an IAF chopper from the airport to the RCTC ground at Maidan.
