The latest in the list of people to be enthralled by ‘Brand Buddha’ is a three-member US delegation from Los Angeles (LA) County, who have been in the city since Monday to meet Government officials and industrialists to assess investment potential in West Bengal.

In an exclusive chat with The Indian Express, members of the delegation said that their meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had left them impressed with his leadership.

When asked to describe the meeting with the Chief Minister, councilperson of Long Beach city Suja Lowenthal said it was “very engaging”.

“We were very impressed with the clarity of vision that the Chief Minister displayed with respect to the needs and opportunities for the state,” said President of the World Trade Centre Association of Los Angeles-Long Beach, Vance Baugham. The members also felt there was a strong and healthy relationship between the public and the private sectors in West Bengal. “There might have been a struggle in the past, but we found that the two sectors are willing to work together to improve the quality of life in West Bengal,” said Lowenthal.

Speaking on behalf of companies from their part of the US, the delegation said dealing economically with a Marxist Government with a different political ideology was not an inhibiting factor for business.

The delegates said Bhattacharjee also talked of US collaboration for the proposed deep sea port in the state and the modernisation of the Kolkata airport.