Centre appoints Abhishek Banerjee in Op Sindoor delegation, replacing Yusuf Pathan

Reports today said the central government has appointed Abhishek Banerjee from the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) party to represent India in the Operation Sindoor delegation. According to the sources, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju dialled the Trinamool supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee regarding this day after Yusuf Pathan, an MP of TMC, declined to join the delegation citing unavailability.

Mamata Banerjee, who had earlier said that though she stands with the central government in matters of defence and foreign matters, the BJP-led government must contact the party if they want its leaders in the delegation. Sources said that CM Mamata put forward Abhishek's name.

The row over the nomination of parliamentarians to the multi-party delegation continued on Monday, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee clarifying that no request came to the "mother party" for names for the delegation.

"They cannot decide a member's name on their own. It is not their choice; the party [Trinamool] will decide. If they request, the mother party will decide as is customary. We are totally with the Central government on external affairs policies," she said.

Earlier, speaking to the media, AITC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that the Centre should have held discussions with the Opposition to decide which representative to send.