2019-05-29 14:34:15
Mamata not to attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday backed out from attending the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi, scheduled to be held on May 30.
Taking to Twitter, Mamata rubbished BJP's allegations that 54 people were killed in political violence in Bengal and called it untrue.
"It was my plan to attend oath-taking ceremony, however in past one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP is claiming 54 people have been killed in political violence in Bengal. This is untrue. I am compelled not to attend the ceremony," Mamata wrote on the micro-blogging site.
Mamata, who had a bitter spat with PM Modi all through the Lok Sabha elections, was invited to attend his swearing-in ceremony.
The two leaders had indulged in a war of words during the campaign period in the run-up to the elections, in which the BJP made deep inroads into Trinamool territory in West Bengal, winning 18 Lok Sabha seats out of 42. The TMC's tally was reduced from 34 in 2014 to 22 in 2019.
Modi will be sworn in for a second term as the Prime Minister on May 30 at 7 pm at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, along with members of the Union Council of Ministers.