Kolkata, Aug 14 (IANS): Political rivals Thursday poured scorn on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's decision to take Bengali superstar Dev on her maiden Singapore visit.

Dev, also a Trinamool Congress MP, and Bengali movie producer Srikanta Mohta are part of the delegation which also has a host of state ministers, bureaucrats and industry captains that will leave for the six-day trip Aug 17.

Making a formal announcement, state Finance Minister Amit Mitra said Banerjee will be meeting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam during the visit aimed at strengthening business and cultural ties.

Official sources claimed Dev and Mohta have been accommodated on Banerjee's insistence while leaving out state ministers.

Without revealing the name, Mitra said a party MP will be part of the delegation while some industry captains will also accompany but not as part of the official delegation and will fund their own expenses.

"I can't fathom how Dev or Mohta will help in bringing in industrial investment. The chief minister feels more comfortable in their company rather than answering tough questions on the precarious condition of industry in the state," Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tathagata Roy said.

Speaking in the same vein, Communist party of India-Marxist MP Mohammad Salim too ridiculed Banerjee.

"For our chief minister, dancing, singing and films are industry, so it is not surprising that she is taking filmy people with her," said Salim.

CPI-M member and Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra questioned the efficacy of the visit itself.

"I hope the investments are at least more than what the government will be spending on the trip," said Mishra.

Congress leader O.P. Mishra too questioned the visit, saying the government was wasting money on a futile exercise instead of redressing issues plaguing the industry in the state.