Kolkata, July 16: Amidst speculation that Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was planning to sound out Atal Bihari Vajpayee for a Union Cabinet berth, she held a meeting with him but declined to say what transpired between them on the issue. When newsmen repeatedly asked whether her induction into the Union cabinet was discussed at the meeting with the premier at the Raj Bhavan, the TC chief fobbed them off saying that she was more interested in West Bengal's development than securing a ministerial berth.

"I had a 25-minute meeting with the Prime Minister and I am happy," was all that she said. Mamata was to have rejoined the Cabinet on May 24 after two years but stayed away protesting a move to induct party MP Sudip Bandopadhyay without consulting her.

Bureau Report