Singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo, who recently joined the Trinamool Congress, had a “musical talk” with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday.
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata after the meeting, Supriyo, a former Union minister, said that the Chief Minister asked him to both work and sing “with all his heart”.
“I am very happy to meet CM Mamata Banerjee. The way she welcomed me to the TMC family is very warm. She asked me to work with all my heart and sing with all my heart which I think is icing on the cake. She said ‘Pujor samayo tumi gaan karo’ (It’s Puja time, you sing).”
Supriyo, the BJP MP from Asansol, visited state secretariat Nabanna to meet Banerjee. This was the first meeting between the two after he joined the party.
“We had a very musical talk, at the same time whatever she said was really music to my ears. I want to thank Didi (Mamata Banerjee) and party General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee for welcoming me so affectionately and warmly to the TMC family,” he added.
Asked about his role in the TMC, Supriyo said it was for the party to decide.
“I have nothing to say about it. It is for the party and our supremo Mamata Banerjee to decide. It is her prerogative,” he said.
Supriyo on Saturday joined the Trinamool Congress in Kolkata, nearly a month after announcing that he was quitting politics.
After joining the Bengal’s ruling party, he said: “When I had said two months back that I want to quit politics, I was serious about it. After getting this new opportunity, however, I decided to change my mind. I am very excited about joining the TMC. I will work for the development of Bengal.”
“I am grateful to Abhishek Banerjee, (TMC national general secretary) and Mamata Banerjee for giving me an opportunity to work for the state. I will follow the rulebook; there is no point in holding on to the Asansol seat when I have joined the TMC,” he added.
On July 31, Supriyo, a two-term MP from Asansol, had announced that he was quitting politics but said he would continue to discharge his constitutional responsibilities as a Lok Sabha member.
