Mamata tightens ties with Congress

TMC chief said the prime minister has offered all assistance for the speedy development of the state.

TMC chief however told reporters that the prime minister won’t be able to attend her swearing-in ceremony as he “has lot of programmes” and therefore will visit the state later. Earlier, Banerjee met Sonia Gandhi to invite the Congress to join her government.


“I have invited Congress. They will let me know,” Banerjee told reporters outside 10 Janpath after meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Asked whether Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy will replace her as Railway Minister, Banerjee said: "Mukul (Roy) is general secretary of the party. Mukul was not there when I met Soniaji. The prime minister will decide on the next union railway minister, but we TMC want it to be with us... but it is the prime minister's choice.”

Banerjee further asserted that her party has “good relationship” with the Congress and that her “personal relations” with Sonia Gandhi are also good.  Banerjee also invited Sonia Gandhi for her swearing-in ceremony on Friday.

The TMC-Congress combine registered a landslide victory over 34-year-old Left front government in West Bengal and bagged 227 seats.  TMC won 184 seats in the assembly polls, its alliance partner Congress emerged victorious on 42 seats and the SUCI got one  seat, in the 294-member Assembly.