PM Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the launch of social welfare schemes in Kolkata on Saturday. (Press Trust of India)
The Mamata Banerjee-Narendra Modi chemistry is in focus, with the two publicly sparring over the Prime Minister's new social welfare schemes, but allegedly holding an unscheduled one-one-meeting, made possible by the Prime Minister's early arrival at the venue of the social welfare function in Kolkata Saturday evening.
The BJP denies there was any unscheduled one-on-one. But the opposition parties in the state claim respective compulsions - BJP's need for Trinamool support in Rajya Sabha and Trinamool's unease about the CBI probe into the Saradha scam - are bringing Mr Modi and Ms Banerjee closer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Kolkata to launch three new social welfare schemes, an event coinciding with the 155th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.
In attendance was Mamata Banerjee, the West Bengal Chief Minister, known for her admiration of the poet, who peppered her speech liberally with Tagore quotations.
So did the Prime Minister, at least once. But not once did she thank PM Modi for his new schemes, instead thanking the insurance sector.
And then came a political potshot. "There are no banks in many villages. How will these bank dependent schemes work?" she asked.
"In Bengal, Even now also after so many years of our independence it's a fact, reality is, out of 3500 panchayats there are no banks in more than 1000 panchayats. Gram panchayat must be covered with banking facilities," she said.
It was an irrefutable point but the PM used it to his advantage. He said, "The honourable Chief Minister in her speech was saying that there are no banks in villages. This is the legacy of 60 years."
There was loud applause and then the gloves came off.
"Her pain or concern is natural. I also share her concern. But she made this point in front of me because she is confident that if anyone changes things, it will be me," PM Modi said.
There was louder applause.
After the event Ms Banerjee met PM Modi again at the Raj Bhavan, with what has been her primary agenda with the Centre since the BJP came to power: the complete waiver of the state's debt of Rs 2.74 lakh crore, for which she blames the previous Left Front government.
The Bengal Chief Minister is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister again on Sunday in Burnpur, where Mr Modi will visit a steel plant.
The big question is, will the two leaders overcome their political differences to make a real difference to the economic development of West Bengal?
Or are there any differences to overcome anymore? As Surya Kanta Mishra of the CPM put it, "Parde ke piche dosti and parde ke saamney dosti."