Rajnath Singh, Uma Bharti mum on Narada in Bengal

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti maintained a studied silence on the ongoing investigation into the Narada scam, fuelling speculation among the principal opposition parties on a possible thaw in the strained relations between the BJP and Trinamool Congress.

The  BJP leaders were on a day’s visit to the state as part of their move to consolidate the party’s position in Bengal. Buoyed by the huge surge in its voting percentage, which catapulted the party into the second position in the recently held by-election, both the central leaders discussed ways with the state leadership to boost future strategies in expanding their base in Bengal.

They were  critical of the TMC but  fell short of criticising the party’s alleged role in ponzy schemes. While the state leadership of the party were at pains to explain the ambivalence, the Congress and CPM saw in it a “meeting and setting” between Chief Minister Mamata and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.