Buddha to attend Mamata’s swearing-in ceremony?

Last Updated: Thursday, May 19, 2011, 12:31

Tags: West Bengal, Buddhadeb, Mamata, swearing-in ceremony

Buddha to attend Mamata’s swearing-in ceremony?

Zeenews Bureau

Kolkata: It appears that the CPI-M is yet to come to terms to its humiliating defeat at the hands of Trinamool Congress as the party is still undecided over sending its outgoing chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his successor Mamata Banerjee.

Reports on Thursday claimed that Mamata Bannerjee had invited Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Left Front chairman and Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Biman , besides top leaders from the Congress party to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

However, the CPI-M has been maintaining a stoic silence on the issue and has said that a final call will be taken by the central committee.

The TMC leader is set to take oath as the first woman Chief Minister of West Bengal tomorrow, along with her Cabinet members at 1.01 pm.

A list of 3200 invitees has been prepared to witness the remarkable oath-taking ceremony. Mamata’s entire family will also attend the ceremony.

Others in the list will include one representative each from the state political parties recognized by the Election Commission of India. Besides them, prominent industrialists, intellectuals and popular celebrities from the field of art and culture will also be invited.

The preparations for the grand ceremony is in full swing and the Writers’ Building is being decked up for the purpose.

Sonia not to attend the ceremony

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Congress president Sonia Gandhi will not be attending the swearing-in ceremony of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee as West Bengal Chief Minister in Kolkata on Friday.

Instead, Home Minister P Chidambaram will represent the Congress at the function along with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said.

Dwivedi said Defence Minister AK Antony and CWC member Shakeel Ahmed, who is in-charge of party affairs in West Bengal will go to Kolkata on Thursday to attend the meeting of Congress Legislature Party as central observers from the party. Antony may also stay back for the swearing in ceremony.

Sources said the decision on the issue of Congress' participation in the Mamata-led government will be taken in the CLP meeting on Thursday, adding indications are positive.

With PTI Inputs

First Published: Thursday, May 19, 2011, 12:31

Comments

Ashim Paul - USA
It is a great gesture on Mamata`s part to invite outgoing CM. However, it seems extremely odd that she is doing it after completely ignoring the outgoing regime. She did not attend previous similar ceremonies, issued strict order for all her party members to not attend any joint meeting on any matter. I hope things will get better for democracy and the common man. People should, however, remember the past behaviour.

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jagannathan - new delhi
It is a good gesture on the part of Mamta to have invited Buddhadeb for swearing in ceremony and I am sure he would attend it. This is unlike in Chennai where the swearing in ceremony of Jayalalitha was boycotted by DMK and none from the party represented at the function. The people would come and go but the protocol need to be adhered to for strengthening of democracy and togetherness of politicians for overall development of the state. Jayalalitha too did the same thing when Karunanidhi was sworn in. Egos should be kept at home if one wants to serve the public. Hope the politicians of Tamilnadu would learn a thing or two from the WB counterparts.