Mamata Banerjee, Opposition's Suvendu Adhikari hold a ‘courtesy meeting’

Speaking in the House later, Mamata asked the Speaker if an all-party delegation could visit New Delhi to put forward the state's issues before the Centre

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Friday, held a “courtesy meeting” with political arch-rival Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly.

Speaking inside the House at the state assembly later, Banerjee requested the Speaker if an all-party delegation could visit New Delhi to put forward the state's issues before the Centre.

The two unusual events stirred the region’s politics, though both sides maintained that it was a courtesy meeting (a day before Constitution Day is to be observed).

The “courtesy meeting” that took place in the CM’s chamber had Adhikari accompanying other BJP MLAs – Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kumar Lahiri, and Manoj Tigga.

What generated curiosity is the fact that Adhikari, who had defeated Banerjee in the 2021 assembly elections, remains a strong critic of the chief minister and the party in power. Adhikari, once a prominent face in Trinamool, had shifted to the BJP before the assembly elections.

Speaking inside the House, the chief minister requested the Speaker that an all-party delegation (including MLAs representing the BJP in the state’s opposition) representing the state should visit New Delhi to put before the Centre the issues that concern the state’s development.

Banerjee’s humble gestures, however, had a limited effect, as Opposition MLAs stayed away from the inauguration programme of the Assembly’s platinum jubilee memorial building, after the courtesy meeting and the CM’s remarks inside the assembly.

Chandrima Bhattacharya, a minister in the state government, said that the proposal for an all-party delegation from Bengal reflects the constitution’s demands so why should it not be possible “for the sake of state’s benefit, and development it should be feasible,” Bhattacharya told Deccan Herald, adding that if a party tries to politicise such an effort, people will know that they aren’t doing justice to the state.

Meanwhile, the state cabinet on Friday approved the framing of rules concerning transgender rights. The West Bengal Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2022, will be put in place to keep parity with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, passed by Parliament.