Wednesday, January 12 2005 16:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: In a significant political gesture, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Jan 12, 2005) invited the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) ally Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to join his Government at the Centre, party spokesman Pankaj Banerjee said.

Pankaj Banerjee, a member of the Trinamool delegation led by Mamata Banerjee that called on the Prime Minister at the Raj Bhavan, told waiting reporters that ''while she was complaining to Singh about various issues, he requested her to join his Cabinet and solve all the problems''.

The Prime Minister told Mamata Banerjee ''why don't you join the Cabinet and solve the outstanding problems that you have put forward to me'', Pankaj Banerjee said.

Mamata Banerjee, who authorised Pankaj Banerjee to brief the press on the matter outside the Raj Bhavan gate, said in reply to a query that the Prime Minister had made an appeal to her and told her four times, ''we are missing you''.

"Prime Minister definitely said we are missing you," she said.

The Trinamool chief however remained non-committal about her stand in the matter saying, "We are running a political party which has its own ideology. The Prime Minister has made an appeal. He knows me for a long time. He has an affection for me. Political issues are bound to figure in our discussions."

The Trinamool Chief headed a party delegation ostensibly to hand over a cheque for tsunami victims and submit her views about some of the problems.