Mamata Banerjee to visit Delhi today, seeks appointment with Rajnath Singh to discuss Assam NRC issue

Lashing out at the Centre over Assam citizens' list, she called it an attempt to isolate Bengalis, Biharis and Hindus out of the state.

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will visit the national capital on Tuesday. During her visit, the Trinamool Congress chief will meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Banerjee, on Monday, strongly criticised the National Register of Citizens (NRC) draft for Assam and sought an appointment with the Union Home Minister to discuss the issue.

Stepping up efforts to forge a unified opposition against the ruling BJP government, the TMC supremo will be on a visit to Delhi to meet UPA chief Sonia Gandhi to invite her for a planned 'federal-front' rally scheduled for January 19 in Kolkata.

Banerjee is likely to meet Gandhi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and other opposition leaders during her three-day visit to the national capital, according to TMC sources. She will also meet Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha at Advocate Ram Jethmalani's residence.

Banerjee, who was earlier seen as wary of involving the Congress in any federal coalition to take on the BJP, has in recent weeks appeared to be more open to joining hands with the national party to consolidate the opposition forces. Though the meeting with Gandhi has not been scheduled, Banerjee would try to meet her and all other prominent leaders from opposition parties during her visit. 

Over 40 lakh people in Assam have been left out from the NRC, which is being prepared to identify illegal migrants in the state. Soon after the development, Banerjee lashed out at the Centre and called it an attempt to isolate Bengalis, Biharis and Hindus out of the state.

The Trinamool veteran claimed that the Centre did not even consult the West Bengal government before taking this huge step, adding that there's no channel of communication between the Centre and the state.

(With inputs from agencies)