West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Meets Prime Minister Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (PTI Photo)
A banquet hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee for a visiting foreign dignitary on Friday night provided the platform for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his bitter political foe, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to meet and exchange pleasantries.
As the Prime Minister arrived for the banquet at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in honour of Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, he shook hands with the Indian delegation that had lined up for the customary introduction to the visiting head of state.
PM Modi stopped for a while and exchanged greetings with the West Bengal Chief Minister.
After exchanging pleasantries with Ms Banerjee, Prime Minister Modi walked ahead along the line and stood with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while Ms Banerjee spoke with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
This was the first time Mamata Banerjee met PM Modi in the backdrop of weeks of a bitter war of words between the BJP and Trinamool Congress. The ongoing bitterness is due to a range of issues including the Saradha chit fund scam and the Burdwan blast.
Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly targeted PM Modi using some strong words against him. The BJP too, attacked her, and the Trinamool Congress accusing them of shielding those involved in the Saradha chit fund scam and Burdwan blast.
The President, who returned from the hospital after a week, where he underwent a coronary angioplasty, did not stay for the banquet and retired to bed on health grounds.
The banquet, where the visiting President was served 'sorsey maach' (fish dipped in mustard paste), 'doi maach' (fish prepared with curd), 'maach bhapa' (steamed fish) with Bengali music playing in the background, was carried forward by Vice President Hamid Ansari.
There was a cultural programme ahead of the banquet where renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Priya Venkataram performed before the VVIPs.