West Bengal’s Chief Minister-designate Mamata Banerjee had specially travelled to Delhi to invite Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her swearing-in ceremony on Friday. But Gandhi declined because she avoids these ceremonies as a matter of policy. Though Gandhi will be absent she has ensured that two of her most trusted lieutenants, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony, will represent the Congress and the central government. Antony, in fact, was specially asked by Gandhi to go to Kolkata and wish Mamata Banerjee. Interestingly, Antony was also sought by a section of the state leaders to campaign for the Assembly elections.
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