Kolkata, 02 July (H.S.): Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP and veteran actor Jaya Bachchan on Thursday met former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence in Kolkata. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien was also present during the meeting. Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee welcomed Jaya Bachchan on her arrival. However, no official statement was issued regarding the agenda of the meeting.

The meeting comes at a time when political observers have noted signs of strain between the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress, despite both parties being constituents of the INDIA bloc. A few days ago, senior Samajwadi Party leader Kiranmoy Nanda, during a visit to Kolkata, blamed Mamata Banerjee for the Trinamool Congress' electoral defeat, claiming that the public had rejected her leadership. He also suggested that coalition compulsions often force parties to adopt different public positions.

In contrast, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had visited Kolkata after the election results and met Mamata Banerjee, expressing support for her allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over alleged electoral irregularities. Mamata Banerjee had also alleged large-scale electoral malpractice and vote manipulation, a matter that is currently before the courts.

Against this political backdrop, Jaya Bachchan's visit to Kalighat has triggered fresh speculation in political circles. She has shared a cordial relationship with Mamata Banerjee for many years and has previously campaigned for the Trinamool Congress during elections in West Bengal.

Political observers are interpreting the meeting in different ways, with some viewing it as an attempt to ease tensions following Kiranmoy Nanda's recent remarks, while others believe it could be linked to discussions on the future strategy of the INDIA alliance. However, in the absence of any official statement, the purpose of the meeting remains undisclosed.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh