India, Oct. 1 -- Although her party has lost the West Bengal assembly elections and is in disarray, Mamata All India Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's personal relationship with Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi remains unaffected.

From presenting Sonia Gandhi with a special stole to inviting her to share the stage at the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)'s press conference, Mamata's bond with the Congress leader - which began during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure as Prime Minister - has withstood the test of time and political upheavals.

The former West Bengal chief minister was the only non-Congress leader to speak in the packed press conference. In her usual style, steeped in emotion and theatrics...