When the hammer and sickle met grass and leaves

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Derek O’Brien and Ritabrata Banerjee, recently expelled from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), have come to share much bonhomie in recent weeks. O’Brien heads the parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture. Banerjee, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, is a member of that committee. Earlier this month, the committee held its meetings in Goa and Mumbai. According to sources, O’Brien ensured that Banerjee, who has experienced a harrowing time in his personal life in the last few months, gets to put his feet up in Goa.