Mamata Banerjee calls on Union minister Nitin Gadkari in Delhi, reviews road projects in West Bengal

Mamata Banerjee is in the national capital for the first time after her party's colossal victory in the West Bengal assembly polls this year.

Pic Courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (July 29) met Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi and discussed several infrastructure projects in the state. 

As per PTI sources, Banerjee brought up pending road and transport projects, including the deep-sea port at Tajpur, in her discussions with Gadkari. The sea port, located nearly 200 km from Kolkata, is expected to draw an investment of Rs 15,000 crore and generate 25,000 jobs in West Bengal.

Banerjee will also meet ministers of key departments such as petroleum, aviation, railways and commerce soon to discuss various development projects in the state, sources told the news agency. 

Delhi: Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee called on Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today. In the presence of officials, they reviewed various road projects being undertaken in the state. pic.twitter.com/JhorqtSQos — ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2021

Banerjee, who is in the national capital for the first time after her party's colossal victory in the assembly polls this year, called on the opposition leaders on Wednesday. Addressing reporters after her meeting with Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at 10 Janpath, Banerjee said, "Sonia ji invited me for a cup of tea and Rahul ji is also there. We discussed the political situation in general. We also discussed the Pegasus spyware snooping controversy and the Covid-19 situation.”

On Tuesday, Banerjee had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reportedly asked for more COVID-19 vaccinations for West Bengal. Earlier in the day, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath and Congress leader Anand Sharma had met the Trinamool Congress chief. 

Banerjee, whose visit to Delhi is significant in the backdrop of 2024 Lok Sabha elections, further said, “We discussed the unity of the opposition. It was a very good meeting, positive meeting. To defeat the BJP, everybody needs to come together. Everyone will have to work together.” 

She also told reporters that the Pegasus snooping issue was more serious than Emergency and accused the Centre of being unresponsive. Before leaving for Delhi on Monday, Banerjee had formed a two-member inquiry commission to look into allegations of snooping on politicians, officials and journalists using Israeli spyware Pegasus. 

“We thought the Centre would form an inquiry commission or a court-monitored probe would be ordered to look into this phone-hacking incident. But the Centre is sitting idle... So we decided to form a ‘commission on inquiry' to look into the matter," PTI quoted her as saying. 

(With agency inputs)