Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who flew to Chennai on Wednesday and met her Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin of the DMK, said before leaving Calcutta that regional parties would play a key role in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“Regional parties are very important for the 2024 elections. I believe and trust all regional parties must work together,” Mamata told mediapersons at Calcutta airport before leaving for Chennai to attend a family event of Bengal governor L.A. Ganesan. “However, I can't comment on it (Opposition unity) without discussing it with all the leaders of regional parties,” she added.

Later in the evening, Mamata told reporters in Chennai after meeting Stalin at his residence: “It was a courtesy meeting just like of a brother and sister. But when two political persons meet they may have some political discussion.”

Mamata is in Chennai to attend a family function of Bengal governor La Ganesan

Sources in Trinamul said that the meeting with Stalin was significant at a time the Trinamul was trying to lead an anti-BJP alliance in the run-up to the 2024 general elections. Trinamul insiders said Stalin had accepted Mamata’s invitation to visit Bengal.

“There will be certainly a strategy by the Opposition parties in the country to dethrone the BJP government at the Centre,” said a source in Trinamul.

Sources said Mamata’s stress on the unity of regional parties also sends out a message that her party was not “eager for an alliance with the Congress”.

‘She never named the Congress or any other anti-BJP alliances. It sends out a message that Mamata Banerjee is stressing on the unity of regional parties,” said a source.

In June this year, Mamata sent letters to chiefs of 19 Opposition parties but excluded the Congress from the list.

The Bengal BJP took a jibe at Mamata’s meeting with Stalin. “Mamata Banerjee tours the country as a political tourist before every Lok Sabha poll. It will not work,” said former BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, also a party national vice-president.

Didi largesse for widows

Calcutta: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to allow widows to apply for both widow pension and Lakshmir Bhandar benefits.

The move is considered to be significant as beneficiaries of Lakshmir Bhandar were so far not allowed to avail of any other pension or other direct benefit schemes.“The chief minister took a humanitarian decision to help nearly 25 lakh widows who get pension. The extra benefit of Lakshmir Bhandar will help them at a time when prices of essential commodities have gone up,” said a minister.

The state cabinet has also decided to give compensation to landowners in case high-tension power lines pass over their plots. Landowners will get price of their crops and an extra 10 per cent of the market price of land as compensation.

If land is needed to install pillars for high-tension power lines, the government will provide 150 per cent of actual market price of the plot as compensation plus price of the land. This will help develop power infrastructure fast without obstruction from villagers, sources said.

Our Special Correspondent