The deadlock between the protesting junior doctors and the Mamata Banerjee government continued on Saturday despite it being a day of dramatic developments.

The delegation of doctors that went to chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat had to eventually return without the meeting taking place, with both sides making claims and counterclaims and pleading at each other.

“I would request you all to come inside and attend the meeting. As the matter is before the court, we cannot allow live streaming. I will video-record the meeting and will provide you with a copy only after permission from the Supreme Court,” Mamata said, standing at her doorstep and appealing to students to come inside and not to get drenched in the rain.

“Today, you said that you want a meeting, so I have been waiting. Why are you people insulting me like this? Please don’t insult me like this. Earlier on the three occasions, I have been waiting but you people didn’t come,” she said.

“We shall keep minutes of the meeting, I will sign it. There will be transparency,” said Mamata.

The doctors went into a huddle outside the residence after that in the rain. Chief secretary Manoj Pant, home secretary Nandini Chakraborty and state junior minister of health Chandrima Bhattacharya left the CM’s residence around 9 pm after the standoff continued.

After the officials left, the protesting doctors said they had agreed to all demands of the government – including eschewing live recording and video recordings – but they were told it's too late.

Earlier, Mamata visited the Swastha Bhavan protest site around 12.30 pm on Saturday and appealed to the doctors to attend a meeting and join work.

The junior took her visit as ‘a positive step’ and wrote to the chief secretary in the evening expressing interest to join the meeting as soon as the authorities confirmed a time and place.

The chief secretary wrote back with an invitation to the junior doctors to attend the meeting at 6 pm at the chief minister’s Kalighat residence.

Even after 2.5 hours, the deadlock couldn’t be breached.

The protesting doctors said they were going back to their sit-in and would decide the next course of action after consultations.