Mamata Banerjee said she raised the issue of violence in Tripura with PM Modi (File)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, indicated that expansion plans are underway for her party - Trinamool Congress, with trips to PM Modi's constituency Varanasi and Mumbai already planned.
Speaking to reporters after meeting PM Modi, Mamata Banerjee said that she raised the issue of the Border Security Force's territorial jurisdiction in West Bengal, demanding that it be withdrawn.
"Giving more powers to the BSF leads to a confrontation in law and order with the state police. We are not against the BSF. It is not right to disturb the federal structure without any reason," she said.
The chief minister also said that she has invited the prime minister to inaugurate the Global Business Summit which will be held in the state next year.
"I also told him that we will get Rs 96,655 crore from the Centre which are pending as dues. How will states run if money due from the Centre is not provided? Whatever political differences we have... our ideologies are different but that should not affect state-Centre relations. If states develop, then the Centre will develop," she said.
The chief minister said that she also raised the issue of violence in Tripura in which TMC workers were allegedly assaulted by the BJP.
On the Uttar Pradesh elections, Mamata Banerjee said that she is open to extending help to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav if he seeks her party's help.
"If Trinamool can help defeat the BJP in UP, we will go... If Akhilesh (Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav) wants our help, we will help," she said.
The TMC chief also said while her party has "started" in Goa, regional parties should slug it out in some states.
"We have started in Goa and Haryana... but I think some places, let regional parties fight. If they want us to campaign, we will help," she said.
Days after she inducted two senior Congress leaders into her party, Ms Banerjee said she had no plans to meet party president Sonia Gandhi during her trip this time.
Congress leader Kirti Azad and former president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee Ashok Tanwar formally joined the TMC on Monday.
"This time I sought time only from the prime minister. The leaders are all busy with Punjab polls. Work is first... Why should we meet Sonia every time? It is not constitutionally mandated," she said when asked if she was meeting the Congress chief.
Mamata Banerjee also said that she would visit Varanasi since "Kamalapati Tripathi's family is now with us".
Rajeshpati Tripathi and Laliteshpati Tripathi, the grandson and the great-grandson of former UP chief minister Kamalapati Tripathi, joined the Trinamool Congress in October.
The TMC chief also said that she will meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar during her visit to Mumbai on November 30 and December 1.