'Aimed at reaping political dividends': BJP hits out at Mamata for walking out of Niti Aayog meet

Kolkata: The opposition BJP in West Bengal criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for walking out of the NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi on Saturday, claiming that it was a "drama" aimed at reaping political dividends.

BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said it was a "weak script" prepared by Banerjee.

"She was allowed due time at the NITI Aayog meeting. She did not go to the meeting for the economic benefit of the people of West Bengal but to reap political dividends and stage a drama by walking out," he claimed.

"She portrayed herself as an opposition leader and not an administrator," he added.

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya questioned why Banerjee attended the meeting in the first place when chief ministers of other INDIA bloc parties skipped it.

"She was aware of the consequences. And her action again gives rise to the theory that she went to Delhi to have some understanding with Narendra Modi. People will realise the pretentiousness of the entire issue," he claimed.

The state Congress said Banerjee went to the meeting without consulting other opposition parties.

Congress spokesperson Soumya Aich told PTI, "We have nothing to say on this issue. We had boycotted the meeting and she did not. She did not consult us and went on her own." Banerjee walked out of the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that she was unfairly stopped midway through her speech, despite being the sole representative of the opposition.

TMC spokesperson Santanu Sen said, "When the only female CM of the country started speaking about Bengal not getting its due, her mike was muted. This shows how the voice of the opposition is being gagged. We strongly condemn this."