Spoke to Adavaniji, really sad over how he and Joshiji have been treated: Mamata

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday criticised BJP for its "ill treatment" towards party veterans L K Adavani and Murli Manohar Joshi and said it is "really sad" to see the way the party is treating its founding members.

"Today I spoke to Adavaniji in the morning. I enquired about his health. He said he felt good that I had called him. It is really sad to see the way BJP is treating its founding members. I don't want to say much more as it is the internal matter of their party," Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress supremo said.

Advani and Joshi have been denied ticket by BJP to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in their states.


In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, Banerjee said she has immense respect for real chowkidars and not for political chowkidars who are trying to derive "political mileage" out of it.

She also criticised Modi for trying to derive "political mileage" out of the achievements of scientists.

"Has Modi gone to space or has he done any research? He is just trying to gain political mileage out of it," she said on the prime minister's announcement that the country had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite.