Paid a courtesy visit to ‘brother’ Stalin’s house: Mamata

CHENNAI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday visited her Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin at the latter’s residence in the city. The two leaders denied discussing politics during the meeting.

Banerjee, who was here to attend a family function of her state governor L Ganesan in the city, denied discussing politics with Stalin and said, “Stalinji is like my brother. It was a courtesy meeting.

Though the programme was not fixed earlier. My honourable Governor requested me to attend some family function. For that purpose I visited Chennai. But without visiting Stalin, how can I go from Chennai? I think it is my duty to meet Stalinji and have a cup of coffee. We said namaste and vanakkam.”

Asked if they discussed politics, specifically the ensuing Lok Sabha election, Mamata said, “If two political leaders are together, then we can talk about something. what may not be of political interest to the people, but may be development. I think development is better than politics.”

She refused to comment on a specific query pertaining to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo yatra. Asked about the face-off with Governor’s in non-BJP ruled states, the TMC supremo said, “We did not discuss that. It is a courtesy visit and a brother and sister relationship. Now you can guess whether it is political or social or cultural. Everything is mixed.”

When a question on political discussion was posed to Stalin, he said, “She paid a courtesy visit to my house. She invited me to be a guest in west bengal. It is a courtesy call, not a political visit. Nothing was discussed about elections (Lok Sabha).” DMK general secretary Duraimurugan, Parliamentary party leader T R Baalu, Thoothudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Chepauk MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin were also present during the meeting.