Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chief whip in the Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyay on September 7 came under fire from party chief Mamata Banerjee for "hobnobbing" with BJP and inviting Communication Minister Promode Mahajan for a tea-party at his residence defying the party's decision to stay away from the NDA.

The TC Chief who was at loggerhead with Bandopadhyay, her one-time close associate on the Eastern Railway bifurcation issue, categorically said that the party did not approve of his move to invite senior BJP minister Promode Mahajan for tea-party.

Speaking at a seminar on "Railway Bifurcation" in which Bandopadhyay was also present, Banerjee in an obvious reference to him said, ''when the party's working committee has taken the decision that TC will not be part and parcel of NDA until the Centre takes corrective steps regarding Eastern Railway bifurcation, everyone should respect it''.

''We should distance ourselves from the NDA, There is no question of hosting any such tea party. No one has the right to violate the party decision,'' she said.

The TC chief said that the party's decision could only be changed by the working committee.

Asked for his reaction, Bandopadhyay declined to make any comment.

Bandopadhyay had said on September 6, ''Mahajan is the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and I am still the party's chief whip. When Mahajan is coming to my constituency, what is wrong to have a cup of tea with him.''

PTI