Bengal’s Bollywood: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday divulged few details of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Aaditya Thackeray’s meeting, which he was also a part of, in the party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’. In his weekly column ‘Rokhthok’, Raut threw light on key discussions that the trio had in Nariman Point’s Trident Hotel in Mumbai – from requesting to grand land for a Bengal Bhavan in the financial capital, reminiscing Bengal’s Bollywood legends in the film industry to the TMC’s decision to not test political waters in Maharashtra.
He said during her Mumbai visit, Banerjee had discussed with Aaditya Thackeray the exchange of tourism and culture between the two states. Banerjee, who rose to politics as a student leader, spoke about the importance of youth taking the reigns of politics. “You youngsters should now take the reins of politics in your hands. You will have my backing. I have been in politics since student movements. I know the power of the youth,” Banerjee told Thackeray.
Raut, whose party shares power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra, on Sunday further claimed “it looks like Banerjee is contemplating something new excluding the Congress”. He also claimed that during her meeting with Shiv Sena leader and state minister Aaditya Thackeray here a few days back, she told the latter that “we will not come here as the Shiv Sena and the NCP are strong”.
