Mukul dines, TMC pot boils

TT, New Delhi, Dec. 9: Mamata Banerjee today invited Mukul Roy to dine at the residence of MP and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, breaking ice with the leader sidelined since the CBI questioned him in the Saradha case early this year.

The invitation to Roy, who was removed as all-India general secretary of Trinamul in February, has come at a time speculation is rife that Roy was hobnobbing with some parties and also planning to float an organisation. Roy reached Abhishek's house around 10pm.

"Mamata is a smart politician. She will befriend Mukul so that he does not cross over to any party in the midst of elections," said an MP.

Sources in the party said that Mamata was not comfortable with the manner in which the party organisation was being run after Roy was stripped of his powers. "Mukulda knows the organisation like the back of his hand, which is of immense help in the election season," said a Trinamul MLA.

Recently, some Trinamul MPs were seen having soup with Mukul in Parliament. "Given the structure of our party, no one would dare to be seen with someone Didi doesn't like. It was an indication that the relationship was no longer so bad," said a source.

Hours before the dinner invite, Mamata came across Roy on the Parliament premises and enquired how he was.

" Kemon achho, Mukul (How are you, Mukul)?" Mamata asked.

"Fine," Roy replied and asked: " Aapni kemon achhen, (How are you)?"

"Bhalo (fine)," she replied.

Roy then left. The encounter that lasted some 20 seconds set Trinamul abuzz. Some wondered whether their leader was seeking to mend relationship with her former confidant in view of the elections early next year.

By evening, the insiders had started discussing the fallout of the dinner invite - the chief minister apparently suggested a special menu for Roy, a diabetic - on the organisational structure.

Earlier in the day, when Mamata was asked about her brief encounter with Roy in Parliament, she sought to paint it as mere courtesy. "He (Roy) is a party MP. Like other MPs, I also met him," she said.

Roy, too, refrained from speaking much on the meeting. "I was coming from the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) and saw Mamata sitting in the Central Hall. As a courtesy, I went up to her and exchanged a few words," he said.

"She is, after all, the leader of the party which I represent as an MP," he added.

In the Central Hall, Mamata introduced Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to Roy.