New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Anand Sharma on the second day of her Delhi visit. The meeting, which lasted for about an hour, took place at the residence of Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee in South Avenue.
After meeting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath said that he had come to congratulate Mamata Banerjee for her victory in the recent assembly polls. Addressing media, he said that he has a very old relationship with Banerjee and they discussed the current issues of the country during the meeting including farmers' protests and inflation.
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"We have not discussed any strategy. That will be discussed by the leader of our party. We just discussed the current situation and the issue of rising prices," Kamal Nath told reporters. He also stated that there were no talks on the upcoming 2024 polls. According to sources, Mamata is trying to unite the opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and her meeting with Congress leaders is also a part of it.
Later in the day, Banerjee also met Anand Sharma. During the meeting, Sharma is reported to have told her that there cannot be a non-BJP front without Congress as it is a national political party with a pan-India presence.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Sharma said, "It was a personal meeting. Mamata ji and me, we have been colleagues and friends for decades. We have worked together since mid 1980s, when Rajiv ji was Prime Minister. I've great respect for her, her courage and for the historic victory that she got in the recent elections, which has a very special importance in the Indian Democracy."
When asked about the strategy planning for a united front of Opposition parties in 2024 General Elections, the Congress leader said, "There was no discussion on that, I can assure you because that issues Mamata ji will discuss Congress President Sonia Gandhi ji. Generally speaking, yes, there are issues on which there should be a broader national understanding of parties which believe in inclusive democracy and Indian Constitution."
Sources said that Mamata is likely to meet farmer leaders on Wednesday and she is also slated to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday evening. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is on a four-day visit to the national capital. This is the first of her series of meetings with senior political leaders in New Delhi after her assembly poll victory in Bengal.
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