Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and leader of the Trinamool Congress, questioned the Congress’s capacity to win “even 40 seats” in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election, but she also urged the party to fight the BJP in the Hindi heartland States on Friday.
Ms. Banerjee’s comments came after Congressman Rahul Gandhi said that the issue would be resolved and that talks on seat-sharing with the ruling party were ongoing.
Ms. Banerjee sharply criticised the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which passed through six districts in Bengal and was intended to split minority votes in the State, calling it a “mere photo opportunity” for “migratory birds.”
“I proposed that Congress contest 300 seats (across the country where BJP is the main opposition) but they refused to heed. Now, they have arrived in the State to stir up Muslim voters. I doubt whether they will secure even 40 seats if they contested 300,” she asserted.
Speaking at a dharna in Kolkata to call for the Centre to release the State’s outstanding debt, Ms. Banerjee reaffirmed her party’s willingness to work with the Congress to form an alliance for the impending West Bengal Lok Sabha elections, but she highlighted that the Congress had turned down her offer.
“We were open to an alliance, offering them two seats, which they rejected. Now, let them contest in all 42 seats alone. Since then, there has been no dialogue between us. We will fight alone and defeat the BJP in Bengal,” she said.
Her comments were made the day after Mr. Gandhi, speaking with the party’s “digital media warriors” in West Bengal on Thursday night, voiced hope about breaking the impasse over seat-sharing.
Asked why the Congress was giving importance to Ms. Banerjee despite her unwillingness to leave a single Lok Sabha seat for the Congress in the State, Mr. Gandhi said, “Neither Mamata ji has said, nor the Congress has come out of the alliance (sic).” Even Mamata ji is saying that she is in the alliance. Seat negotiations are on from both ends. It will be resolved,” he said during the interaction, a video of which was shared on his X handle on Friday afternoon.
After a stalemate over seat-sharing in West Bengal, the Congress tried to make amends with the Trinamool, but Ms. Banerjee, who had earlier announced her party’s intention to run alone, refused to provide seats to the age-old party.
After a stalemate over seat-sharing in West Bengal, the Congress tried to make amends with the Trinamool, but Ms. Banerjee, who had earlier announced her party’s intention to run alone, refused to provide seats to the age-old party.
The tough Trinamool chief issued a challenge, calling on the Congress to fight the BJP and unseat the saffron camp in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
“Defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Banaras, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh if you have the guts. Congress, where were you when Manipur was on fire? We sent a crew,” she remarked.
Sources claim that Ms. Banerjee’s position may have been sparked by the Congress’s yatra through six districts in North Bengal, including Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, and Murshidabad, which are noted for having a sizable minority population and a history of Congress support.
Ms. Banerjee mocked the Congress Yatra, comparing it eloquently to “migratory birds” and implying that it was a pointless show intended only for photo ops.
When Rahul visited Bengal in 2010, Ms. Banerjee—who was leading the opposition against the CPI(M)-led Left Front government at the time—compared him to the “cuckoo of spring” (basanter kokil), a phrase she used to characterise the Congressman as a politician who only comes around for elections.
Ms. Banerjee said the Congress did not tell her about the yatra that was passing through Bengal.
“Despite being an alliance partner of INDIA, they did not inform them. I got to know through administrative sources. They had called Derek O’Brien to request that the rally be allowed to pass through. Why come to Bengal then?” she said.
On Thursday, Ms. Banerjee said she was keen on a seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress, but it joined hands with the CPI(M) to assist the BJP in the elections, forcing her to go it alone in the Lok Sabha polls.
She asserted that the Trinamool will work with other regional parties after the elections.
While the CPI(M), Congress, and Trinamool form part of the 27-party Opposition bloc INDIA, in West Bengal, the grand-old party has aligned with the CPI(M) against Trinamool and BJP.
Trinamool Congress won 22 seats, Congress won two, while the BJP won 18 seats in the State in the 2019 elections.
When Trinamool’s offer of two seats was seen inadequate in light of Congress’s success in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, tensions increased.
In the 2001 Assembly elections, the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, and the 2011 Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress formed an alliance with the Congress, which resulted in the overthrow of the 34-year-old CPI (M)-led Left Front administration.
