'MK Stalin is my BROTHER...': Mamata Banerjee after courtesy meeting with Tamil Nadu CM

Chennai: Terming Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo MK Stalin as her "brother", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the two leaders did not discuss politics during their meeting in Chennai. "Stalin is like my brother. I came to attend a family function but could not have left without meeting with Stalin. Two political leaders together can talk about things other than politics, we did not discuss anything about politics," said Banerjee.

While leaving for Chennai, the TMC supremo spoke to reporters at the Kolkata airport where she called Stalin her "political friend". 

She had also said that when two political leaders meet, some politics gets discussed. "Today I will meet Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin he is my political friend. It`s a courtesy meeting as I`m going to Chennai. Whenever two political persons meet there are related things that get discussed," she had said before the meeting.

Banerjee arrived in Chennai to attend a family function of West Bengal governor La Ganesan on November 3.The meeting between the two leaders came amid the Oppositions attempts to unite all political parties against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2024 general election.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters on the Morbi bridge collapse incident, the West Bengal Chief Minister said that a judicial committee should be constituted by Supreme Court to investigate the matter.

"There is nothing more important than people`s lives. Politics is not important. I give my condolences to the family. So many have lost their lives. It`s a crime. Incidents cannot be controlled, but construction and repairs should be given to trusted company. Unfortunately, Gujarat is busy in elections. A judicial committee should be constituted by Supreme Court to investigate the matter. Accountability should be fixed. Human lives are more important than politics. I want to go but if I go then they will say I do politics. They are doing it because of Gujarat elections," she said.

At least 135 people, including women and children, were killed and over 100 others have been receiving treatment for injuries sustained after a cable suspension bridge in Morbi town collapsed on Sunday, plunging people into the Machchhu river.

The commandant of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Prasanna Kumar, citing information from district administration, said that one or two people are missing and the rescue operation is still underway.

"According to the information received from the district administration, one or two people are still missing. We are carrying out the search operation along with other agencies," NDRF commandant Prasanna Kumar said adding that five teams of NDRF are currently working there.

As per the preliminary information, the Gujarat Police had filed a First Information Report under IPC sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the nine people of Oreva group, accused in the bridge collapse tragedy, of which four have been arrested and sent to the police custody.

Of the four persons in police custody, two are managers of the Oreva company, which threw the bridge open for visitors after seven months of maintenance works, and the other two are fabrication work contractor`s people.