Pranab snubs Mamata

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday virtually snubbed Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee for alleging that he was appeasing the Left Front government by attending foundation stone laying ceremonies ahead of Lok Sabha polls saying there should be no politics in development.

Without naming Mamata, Mukherjee, who is WBPCC president, said his involvement in development projects was not to help a particular political party but in the interest of the people.

“Mamata Banerjee may become the new chief minister but the same rule will be in force. There should be no politics in the matter of development,” Mukherjee told reporters at Raghunathgunje situated in his Lok Sabha constituency of Jangipur in Murshidabad district.

Mukherjee said he would be present at the foundation-laying ceremony of East-West Metro corridor in Kolkata on Sunday at the invitation of the state government.

He said his presence in a state government-sponsored programme should not give an impression that he was helping any individual. “None was helped personally due to my presence.”

Mamata had said on Friday that she would tell Mukerhjee “not to encourage the CPI(M)” and ask him to reconsider attending such programmes.

First Published: Feb 21, 2009 22:25 IST