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Can't imagine INDIA bloc without Mamata ji: Cong's olive branch amid ‘speedbreaker’
Congress said seat-sharing talks with Trinamool, Mamata Banerjee are on and some middle ground will be reached.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said the INDIA bloc can't be imagined without Mamata Banerjee. On being asked to comment on Mamata's announcement that Trinamool will go solo in the 2024 election, Jairam Ramesh said, "You have not read her full statement. Her full statement is she wants to defeat the BJP and for that, she won't take a step back. With this thought, we (Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra) are entering West Bengal. When we are on a long journey, speed breaker comes, red light comes," the Congress leader said.
"Red light and speed breaker do not mean that the journey ends. Rahul Gandhi was asked the same question and he said that Mamata Banerjee is a key leader of the INDIA bloc. Mamata ji is also a tall leader of the country, West Bengal, Rahul Gandhi said. We can not imagine the INDIA bloc without Mamata Banerjee," Jairam Ramesh said.
Talks on seat-sharing are going on in West Bengal and some middle ground will be reached, the Congress leaders said adding that INDIA bloc will contest the election from West Bengal.
On Mamata Banerjee's allegation that she was not informed about Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra while the yatra was about the reach West Bengal, Jairam Ramesh said Mallikarjun Kharge in many of his speeches invited all INDIA party leaders to the yatra.
Mamata Banerjee versus Adhir Chowdhury
Wednesday's showdown was not unexpected as Mamata Banerjee and Adhir Chowdhury have been trading barbs at each other. Adhir earlier said the Congress would not beg of Trinamool Congress for seats. Mamata told her party workers to be ready to contest solo. She also said Trinamool will contest the election from Baharampur -- Adhir Chowdhury's constituency.
INDIA leaders cautious
INDIA parties reacted cautiously after Mamata Banerjee's sudden announcement. RJD MP Manoj Jha said the alliance will solve if there is any issue. "Please wait for some time...Maybe the statement was given in some particular situation..." Manoj Jha said.
"TMC is a big party in West Bengal, Congress and the Left have always been fighting against them. So seat sharing with TMC will be a little difficult. The issues between them will be resolved. Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi are committed to the success of the INDIA bloc. We are hopeful that all parties in the INDIA bloc will fight elections together..." AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj said.
'Sign of desperation': What BJP said
BJP's Amit Malviya said Mamata Banerjee's decision to fight alone in West Bengal is a sign of desperation. "Unable to hold her political ground, she wants to fight all seats, in the hope that she can still be relevant, after the polls," Malviya said in a post on 'X'.
