West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata sends sweets, flowers to BNP chief Tarique

The package also contained a note for the BNP chief, The Times of India reports

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sent sweets and flowers to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman to congratulate him and his party on its win in the election.

The package also contained a note for the BNP chief, reports The Times of India.

On Friday, hours after the election results were released, Mamata posted on X: "I congratulate Tarique bhai, his party and other political parties for this massive victory. I always hope that Bengal continues to have a cordial relationship with Bangladesh."

Tarique, set to become the next prime minister of Bangladesh on Tuesday, will likely have to address a number of bilateral issues involving the neighbouring Indian state.

"Teesta water-sharing treaty is one of the crucial areas which Rahman will address. The BNP manifesto clearly mentioned that the party would take effective measures to secure Bangladesh's fair share of water," a BNP leader told The Times of India.

Mamata has consistently opposed the Teesta water-sharing deal, arguing the river did not have enough water to share and any sharing would deprive north Bengal farmers.

Her gifts to the BNP chairman are being “seen as an effort to smoothen out wrinkles in bilateral relationship,” sources told The Times of India.

Mamata, who was known for having close ties with ousted Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, also sent condolences to Tarique after the death of his mother and former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia in December.