Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has invited his West Bengal counterpart, Mamta Banerjee for an iftaar party to be hosted tomorrow in the capital, Jantakareporter.com had reported first this morning. Banerjee later even acknowledged the invitation on Twitter but said as she was in Kolkata, her party leaders Derek O’ Brien and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy would be there instead.
Thanks @arvindkejriwal for Iftar invitation on Mon. Good wishes. As I am in Kol, my colleagues Derek & Sukhendu will be there
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) July 11, 2015
.@MamataOfficial Thank u Mamta Di. I wish u cud come. We will miss u.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 11, 2015
The move is being seen as one indicating future political realignment and all members of the Delhi cabinet are also scheduled to be present at the iftaar meet.
Invitations have also gone out to Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung, with whom Kejriwal’s relations had recently gone sour over a power tussle. At the International Yoga Day celebrations on June 21, Kejriwal and Jung had maintained distance.
An invitation had also been planned to be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi but that idea was withdrawn after the PM’s proposed tour of Central Asia and Russia went ahead. PM Modi yesterday met Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif in Russia on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.