West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's UK Trip Delayed by Two Days
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Synopsis
The visit of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to the United Kingdom has been postponed by two days due to a power crisis at London’s Heathrow Airport. The new departure is set for March 24, with further changes possible regarding her return schedule.
Key Takeaways
- Visit to the UK postponed by two days
- Cause: power shortage at Heathrow due to a fire
- New tentative departure date: March 24
- Lecture at Oxford University planned
- Previous invitation in 2021 was allegedly canceled
Kolkata, March 21 (NationPress) The visit of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to the United Kingdom has been provisionally delayed by two days due to the ongoing crisis at London’s Heathrow Airport. This situation arose from a significant power shortage caused by a fire in a substation located in the western part of the city.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by her team including the state chief secretary Manoj Pant, was initially scheduled to leave Kolkata on Saturday. However, sources within the state secretariat indicate that, in light of the Heathrow crisis, the new tentative departure date is now set for March 24.
Furthermore, state government sources mentioned that this postponement is provisional and any updates regarding the schedule will be communicated promptly.
In addition, it remains undecided whether the return of the Chief Minister and her team will also be adjusted or if her time in the United Kingdom will be shortened, allowing her to return to Kolkata as previously planned on March 28.
Originally, the Chief Minister and her team were expected to depart from Kolkata at 9:10 a.m. on Saturday, with a stopover in Dubai, before continuing to London on the same day at 8 p.m. Indian Standard Time.
During her visit to London, she is set to deliver a lecture at a college affiliated with Oxford University and engage in discussions with various industrialists and business leaders.
Mamata Banerjee was also invited to the United Kingdom in 2021 to speak at Oxford University. However, the Trinamool Congress alleged that this event was canceled due to covert actions by the Central government.
Previously, in 2015, the Chief Minister visited the United Kingdom accompanied by several cabinet members, including the former state Finance Minister Amit Mitra, who currently serves as her Chief Economic Advisor.
