Mamata focuses on governance issues at interaction with Modi: Didi also calls upon veteran Congress leaders

The Bengal chief minister also sought an all-party meet to decide on some sort of a Supreme Court-led probe into the spyware snooping allegations

Mamata Banerjee with Narendra Modi at the Prime Minister’s residence on Tuesday: 

Devadeep Purohit   |   TT  |  New Delhi   |   28.07.21: Mamata Banerjee said in the capital on Tuesday that the Prime Minister should convene an all-party meeting on Pegasus and decide on some sort of a Supreme Court-led probe after taking opinion of all the parties.

The Bengal chief minister rolled out the demand within an hour of her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence.

“On the issue of Pegasus, I think that the Prime Minister should convene a meeting of all political parties, seek their opinion and decide on some sort of an inquiry by the Supreme Court,” Mamata told reporters after the 35-minute meeting with Modi.

Asked whether she had placed the same demand before Modi during the meeting, Mamata told The Telegraph later that she had not.

During the news conference, Mamata took care to explain that her call-on at the Prime Minister’s residence was a matter of “courtesy” and “protocol” after becoming the chief minister for the third time in a row.

During the meeting, she requested Modi to ensure higher supplies of vaccines for the state and faster implementation of the state’s demand for changing the name of West Bengal to Bengal. Some projects related to Bengal were also discussed, Mamata added.

“We want all the states to get vaccines and medicines to fight Covid.… But my point is we have got less if you take the state’s population into account. So, we want more vaccines before the third wave,” said Mamata, explaining the broad contours of her discussion with Modi on vaccines.

Unlike in the past, she did not accuse the Centre of mishandling the pandemic or favouring the BJP-ruled states while allotting vaccines. Nor did she highlight how Delhi was depriving Bengal by not releasing funds that the Centre owes on account of GST compensation and relief for Cyclone Yaas.

The delay in holding bypolls — Mamata needs to win one by November 5 to continue as chief minister — was also not linked to the BJP government. Mamata said the Covid situation was under control for the Assembly bypolls and local elections.

Mamata gave the impression that as chief minister, she focused on governance issues during the interaction with the Prime Minister, and the mood at the meeting between her and Modi, who fought a bitter battle during the Bengal Assembly polls a few months ago, was cordial.

Mamata Banerjee addresses the media in New Delhi on Tuesday.:Prem Singh

Later, she told this correspondent that Modi asked her whether she was still walking 20km a day. “I told him that because of the injury to my leg, I am restricting myself to 18km a day,” said a smiling Mamata, before adding that the two had a healthy “adda” for around 35 minutes.

Mamata’s briefing on what transpired between her and Modi — during which only the two were present — may have had the limitations of government-to-government interaction. But the fact that she would continue with her anti-BJP politics was clear in her demand for an all-party meeting on Pegasus.

On Monday, the Bengal chief minister had formed a two-member inquiry commission to look into the Pegasus controversy.

With the concerted protests in Parliament and Mamata’s Delhi trip — during which she is scheduled to meet non-BJP leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Arvind Kejriwal and Akhilesh Yadav — coinciding, the capital has been abuzz with speculation that the groundwork for a united fight against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls has begun.

Mamata, who met Congress veterans Kamal Nath, Anand Sharma and Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday, tried to play down expectations of any immediate breakthrough. She said that the discussions with other parties for a front to take on the BJP — a suggestion she had mooted during her July 21 address — would start once the Covid situation was under control.

The pandemic-induced restrictions prevented her from visiting Parliament and meeting leaders of the other parties, she rued.

Mamata, however, stressed that the planning for a united fight must start now. “The Lok Sabha polls are still some time away, but it’s also true that the planning has to start well in advance. You know that the elections for Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Tripura are approaching,” Mamata said.

Sources close to her said that the Bengal chief minister, who held a meeting with Trinamul’s poll consultant Prashant Kishor on Tuesday, was trying to be cautious as she did not want to be seen as projecting herself as the face of a non-BJP front.

“I will not lead, the country will lead.… We are all followers,” she said while responding to a question on who would lead such a front.

On the issue of leadership and unity among the parties, Mamata said: “I think all these will happen automatically.… I am hopeful. Everyone lives with hope and if there is no hope, how can you live?”

Another source said that the chief minister’s balanced response was part of a well-thought-out strategy. “She will be meeting Soniaji tomorrow and then there are other meetings.… Before those discussions, she can’t be seen to be upping the ante against the BJP. Instead of talking tough and raising the pitch, we all need to put our brains together and plan properly,” the source said.

Mamata said that although she was scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday, she was not sure whether the meeting would take place at all. “I have got my double vaccine, but I have been informed that I need a negative RTPCR report.... Where will I get it here in Delhi? But the President’s health is of utmost concern,” Mamata said.