A few months ago, the two had almost stopped talking to each other following a heated exchange over the phone. But now, with Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s political fortunes in the ascendant, her relations with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee have gained some new-found warmth. After receiving a basket full of litchi a couple of weeks ago from the Trinamool Congress leader, Mukherjee has invited her for a family dinner at his private bungalow in Delhi’s Greater Kailash locality. Many of Mukherjee’s family are said to be big fans of Banerjee who is gaining in strength in West Bengal with the support of the middle class. The dinner meeting is expected to take place this weekend after the finance minister returns from his US trip. This is a clear indication that the Congress party now thinks Banerjee needs to be wooed assiduously. More than that, it appears the senior Congress leader thinks well enough of his Cabinet colleague to invite her to his family home. Very few receive that honour.
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