Mamata Banerjee meets Uddhav Thackeray at his Mumbai residence, ties rakhi on him

West Bengal president Minister Mamata Banerjee marked Raksha Bandhan by tying a rakhi to Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray at his bungalow 'Matoshri' on Wednesday.

Rashmi Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray's wife, was also in attendance on this joyous occasion. Mamata Banerjee's gestures were not limited to Uddhav's son and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray. Alongside Thackeray's youngest son, Tejas, stood TMC MP Derek O'Brien, joining in the festive spirit.

This outpouring of affection came just before the INDIA alliance's scheduled meeting in Mumbai, to which Banerjee arrived with her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.


Earlier in the day, the West Bengal Chief Minister paid a visit to Amitabh Bachchan, the legendary Bollywood figure, at his bungalow. She followed tradition by tying rakhi to the seasoned actor. Banerjee and Bachchan have a well-known friendly relationship. She even posed for a family shot with the complete Bachchan clan.

Banerjee emphasized her happiness after meeting Amitabh Bachchan, telling reporters, "I am happy today." I met India's 'Bharat Ratan,' Amitabh Bachchan, and also tied rakhi to him (Mamata Banerjee referred to Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan as Bharat Ratan). They are the foremost family in India and have made substantial contributions... I also extended an invitation to him to join us for Durga Puja and the International Film Festival."

She also used this gathering to criticize the central government's recent move to lower the price of LPG gas cylinders.

It's worth noting that Amitabh Bachchan will perform at the opening ceremony of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) in 2022. During the event, the Chief Minister formally requested that he be awarded India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Indian cinema.

(With inputs from PTI)