The recent Lok Sabha elections have eliminated any doubts, if there were any, over the rising clout of the now ruling BJP.
Even leaders of parties that continue to hold their regional forts have made note of this changing trend, and have extended the olive branch, if not their complete support to the NDA. Just yesterday, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the Tamil Nadu chief J Jayalalithaa was scheduled to meet the PM today.
But even as these regional political kingpins have taken the initiative to build bridges, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remains wary of mending ties with the new prime minister.
The Telegraph, reported today, that Banerjee has expressed reluctance to meet with Narendra Modi, stating if she was really needed to go to Delhi when 42 of Trinamool Congress' MPs were already representing the state’s case in the capital.
At a press conference at Siliguri secretariat Uttar Kanya, she said, "Do I have to go to Delhi when I have 45 MPs in Parliament? The chief secretary has already taken up the matter. If required, he will talk to Delhi again," the Telegraph reported.
Mamata, and Jayalalithaa, were among those who did not attend Modi's swearing in ceremony. While Jayalalithaa skipped the event as a sign of protest against the invitation of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Trinamool Congress was represented by Mukul Roy and Amit Mitra.
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Mamata has kept no illusions of her views of the newly appointed leader of the country and his political set up. Not too long ago, she warned Modi that she will keep a watch on the performance of the Narendra Modi government and if it functioned in a pro-people manner the party would appraise it and if it did not, it would 'pounce' on it.
Her comments come at time when the only other non-Congress leaders to retain their states have opened channels for conversation with the centre. Patnaik, who met the prime minister yesterday, placed before the long standing demand to confer special category status on Odisha along with host of other issues. Similarly, during her meeting Jayalalithaa she is expected to raise the issues of allocation of additional power to the state, which is facing an energy shortage, and also the fishermen's issue who are facing trouble from Sri Lankan authorities.
Considering the need for improved state-center relationships, it raises questions whether Mamata's continued stance of resistance towards the central leadership is wise move.
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