Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe wore a smile as he engaged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a surprising exchange at the Dubai airport on Wednesday (September 13). In a candid moment, Wickremesinghe asked Banerjee if she had intentions to lead the Opposition bloc, I.N.D.I.A. Banerjee, who crossed paths with the Sri Lankan leader during her ongoing 12-day official trip to Dubai and Spain, responded with a hint of ambition, saying, "If people support us, we can be in a position (power) tomorrow".
The meeting between Wickremesinghe and Banerjee occurred while the West Bengal Chief Minister was in the midst of a 12-day official trip to Dubai and Spain, where she plans to attend business summits aimed at attracting investments to her state.
Banerjee recounted how Wickremesinghe spotted her at the Dubai International Airport Lounge and invited her for a discussion. She further extended an invitation to the Sri Lankan President to participate in the upcoming Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) scheduled for November 21-22 in Kolkata.
In a social media post on X, formerly Twitter, Banerjee expressed her gratitude for the President's warm reception, stating, "His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe saw me at the Dubai International Airport Lounge and called me to join for some discussion. I have been humbled by his greetings and (have) invited him to the Bengal Global Business Summit 2023 in Kolkata."
Additionally, Banerjee revealed that President Wickremesinghe had extended an invitation for her to visit Sri Lanka in the near future.
Describing the encounter as "a pleasant interaction with deep implications," Banerjee's overseas visit aims to bolster economic ties and promote investment opportunities for West Bengal.