By Our Special Correspondent
After skipping last year's Niti Aayog meeting, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to attend an event chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on August 7.
Mamata will meet Modi while her cabinet minister Partha Chatterjee is in ED custody for his involvement in the school recruitment scam.
The Chief Minister is expected to visit Delhi ahead of schedule and hold meetings with opposition parties. She did not attend last year's program as she did not have any positive impact on the states. The Niti Aayog meeting between Modi and the chief ministers is taking place at a time when non-BJP-ruled states are accusing the Center of not paying GST dues and flouting federal norms.
The meeting will be held a day after the election of NDA candidate former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar as Vice President. Opposition candidate Margaret Alva. The Trinamool Congress, battered by the opposition, said it would abstain from voting, alleging that the TMC was not kept in the loop on Alva's selection.
“The CM can also take up the financial blockade imposed by the Center without clearing the funds meant for the 100-day National Rural Employment Scheme. An official said that despite several letters written to the Prime Minister, the Center is yet to respond.
Political experts say that Mamata will talk to the opposition leaders about the need for unity in the Lok Sabha elections. "It remains to be seen whether Mamata will rebuild the bridge with the Congress and some other opposition leaders after deciding to abstain from voting in the vice-presidential elections," said an analyst. A TMC leader said that Mamata's decision to attend the meeting in the wake of Partha's arrest is important.
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