Kolkata: PM Narendra Modi on Friday helped break the ice among NCPI ranks as he met 19 party MPs, including three from Murshidabad who skipped two NDA meetings, over breakfast. Ghatal MP Dev was the only NCPI MP absent from the meeting. The 19 MPs, who crossed over from Trinamool following the 2026 assembly polls, said they were happy after the meeting.MPs Abu Taher Khan, Khalilur Rahaman, and Yusuf Pathan, who have been refusing to be a part of BJP or NDA, voiced their concerns over unresolved SIR cases and the removal of loudspeakers from mosques. PM gave them a patient hearing. The three lawmakers from Murshidabad spoke to Union home minister Amit Shah a day earlier.Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs who recently expressed intent to join Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and MPs from Republican Party of India (Athawale), Rashtriya Lok Morcha, AIADMK, and UPPL were also present at the meeting attended by Union health minister JP Nadda and BJP president Nitin Nabin.“It was an hour-long meeting with the PM. The issues that we had pointed out to the home minister were reiterated. While fully respecting the law and the Supreme Court’s directions on noise regulations, we urged him to see that directives are applied to everyone equally. A single community can’t be targeted. We appealed to him to maintain the communal harmony of Bengal,” Abu Taher told TOI.He added, “I shared a proposal for a new 150-km railway line covering Krishnanagar, Karimpur, Jalangi, Domkal, Islampur, and Murshidabad, which will help with transportation in the border areas.”Abu Taher went on to say, “We requested the PM to fast-track all pending genuine SIR cases so they can be completed by the end of this year.”MP Satabdi Roy said after the meeting, “Our PM interacted warmly with everyone and held detailed discussions. He told everyone that their contribution was important. He told us that Bengal and Odisha must develop or it would be a loss for the entire nation.”NCPI MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay told reporters, “The PM was in a jovial mood. He advised us to get regular health checkups and practise yoga. We had a conversation regarding the development of the northeast.”MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said the MPs were “overwhelmed”. “The PM said all NDA members – whether partners for 20 years or one – are his family. We will all work together.”Dev issued a statement saying, “Due to my previously scheduled shooting commitments, I was unable to be present at today’s meeting with the PM. I look forward to meeting him in the near future and contributing in every possible way toward the progress, development, and welfare of people.”
