Mamata runs into Modi's wife before boarding flight to meet him

KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee ran into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wife Jashodaben at the Kolkata airport before flying to New Delhi and they greeted each other. The West Bengal Chief Minister reportedly gifted Jashodaben a sari during the brief encounter.

Jashodaben, a retired teacher, was leaving Kolkata after a visit to Dhanbad in neighbouring Jharkhand, a source close to the chief minister told PTI. She reportedly also offered prayers at the Kalyaneswari temple at Asansol in Bengal, which is around 68 km from Dhanbad.

"It was a chance meeting and they exchanged greetings. The chief minister also gifted her a sari," the source said.

Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to meet Modi on Wednesday in New Delhi. She is expected to take up issues like funds for her state.

On Tuesday, the Chief Minister wished PM Modi on his 69th birthday in a tweet in Bengali. "Birthday greetings to Prime Minister @narendramodi ji," Ms Banerjee, an arch-critic of PM Modi, wrote on Twitter.