Mayawati exchanges pleasantries with PM on his visit to Kanpur

Four months after boycotting a meeting called by the prime minister on price rise issue, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati today went to receive Manmohan Singh on his arrival to the industrial town on a day-long visit.

"Mayawati reached Chakeri airport this afternoon where the PM was scheduled to land. She greeted Manmohan Singh on his arrival, offered him a bouquet and exchanged pleasantries," official sources said.

Governor BL Joshi and union minister Shriprakash Jaiswal and other leaders were present at the airport to receive the prime minister, they said.

However, Mayawati left immediately after receiving Singh.

In February this year, Mayawati had boycotted a meeting called by the Prime Minister to discuss the price rise issue.

At that time the chief minister blamed Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for price rise and demanded his resignation as a pre-requisite to attend the meeting.

Recently, she had announced to launch a nation-wide agitation against the Centre's decision to rollback petrol price terming it to be an anti-people move.