Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal had an hour-long meeting at the latter's residence. (File Photo)
With ties between the Modi government and Delhi's Kejriwal dispensation plumbing new depths, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that the centre and state governments must maintain good relations.
Ms Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, who are known to have a good rapport, had an hour-long meeting at the latter's 4, Flag Staff residence where the two leaders are believed to have discussed a range of political issues, including the confrontation between the Delhi government and the centre.
The meeting came on a day when Mr Kejriwal launched a blistering attack on the Prime Minister, claiming that PM Modi may get him "killed". When asked about the video in which he made the sensational claim, the Delhi chief minister, however, declined to comment.
"We are different political parties and one party may have a view against another. I think democracy is an institution and the tradition of our country is that a political party may remain in power or not (but) the centre and states must maintain a good relationship.
In a democracy, every political party has its own jurisdiction...and this tradition of respecting each other must be maintained. A political party may remain in power or not, but they must respect each other," Ms Banerjee said in response to questions by reporters on whether the centre was targeting the Delhi government.
Ms Banerjee said she had come to seek blessings of Mr Kejriwal's mother who had invited her for tea.
"We are also political parties, so if we sit then politics will definitely be discussed. We also wish them (the AAP) luck as they are contesting polls in Punjab and other states as well.
Kejriwal had come to our 'Vishwa Bangla Sammelan' and in Delhi as well he visits us. So I was also invited by his mother and I am very happy to be here to receive her blessings," the West Bengal chief minister said.
The AAP and the TMC are usually seen on the same page in parliament and outside while attacking the Modi government.
Even when AAP faced heat over its lawmaker Bhagwant Mann filming a video of the parliament house complex, the TMC stood by it.