Shukla was reacting to reports that Banerjee decided to abstain from the swearing-in ceremony of Badal after the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister spoke to her on the issue.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had not spoken to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to dissuade her from attending the swearing-in ceremony of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
"Neither had the Prime Minister spoken to Mamata Banerjee on this issue nor the Finance Minister," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla told reporters here.
Shukla was reacting to reports that Banerjee decided to abstain from the swearing-in ceremony of Badal after the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister spoke to her on the issue.
Reports also had it that Mukherjee had assured Banerjee that the Prime Minister will directly intervene to resolve the economic package issue of West Bengal.
Banerjee, who had got invitations from both Akali Dal and the Samajwadi Party to attend the swearing-in ceremonies of Badal and Akhilesh Singh, has now decided to depute her party leaders for both the programmes.
While Union Minister of State for Tourism Sultan Ahmed has been asked to attend the swearing in of Akhilesh Yadav in UP, state Tourism Minister Rachpal Singh will be going to Punjab.
Congress had blown hot and cold close on the heels of reports that Banerjee, whose party is the second largest constituent of the UPA after Congress has agreed to attend the swearing-in ceremonies of Badal and Yadav.
"Social interactions with strangers by those in partnerships is permissible, but obviously if things go beyond the normal boundaries of social courtesy, it would become immoral," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi had said.
Later he downplayed the remarks contending that these are social courtesies which frequently happen in politics.
"I don't understand why her going or not going should make such news. These are social courtesies, which frequently happen in politics. Her going or not going should not be read as if pregnant with all kinds of meanings," he had said.
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