TMC won't attend INDIA bloc meeting on June 1: ‘Going to Delhi not practical’

The Trinamool Congress will not attend the INDIA bloc meeting on June 1, a senior party leader said on Monday

The Trinamool Congress will not attend the INDIA bloc meeting on June 1.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee with TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata. (ANI file)

West Bengal chief minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee said,"The INDIA team is holding a meeting on June 1. I have told them I can't join as we have election on 10 seats in West Bengal on the same day. Punjab, Bihar & UP also have elections on June 1. One one side is the cyclone, and on the other side, it is elections - I have to do everything. Cyclone relief is my priority right now."

“We ave an important election in the seventh phase. There are nine seats going to polls, more than any other day in Bengal. All seats in Kolkata and greater Kolkata will vote on that day. It is a big election day for TMC. Also, UP, Bihar and Punjab will be voting. Going to Delhi is not practical,” a senior TMC leader said.

According to a media report, the INDIA bloc members are expected to review and discuss the coalition's future course of action ahead of the June 4 election results. 

The Trinamool Congress is not fighting in alliance with INDIA bloc members in West Bengal. 

The first INDIA bloc meeting was held in Patna on June 23 last year, while the second huddle took place in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18. The third meeting took place on August 31 and 1. It was in this meeting that the opposition alliance members adopted resolutions to unitedly contest the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. 

The fourth meeting of the opposition bloc was held in Delhi on December 19. The next time the opposition leaders came together was in Delhi on March 31, when top leaders shared the stage at the 'Save Democracy' rally held against the arrests of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren. A similar 'Ulgulan' rally was held in Ranchi on April 21.

Twenty-eight opposition parties came together to form the INDIA bloc. However, some parties such as Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal later switched over to the NDA. 

Voting will take place on nine seats in West Bengal on June 1, including two seats in Kolkata - Kolkata Dakshin and Kolkata Uttar. The other constituencies that go to polls in the state include Jadavpur, Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jayanagar, Mathurapur and Diamond Harbour.

(With bureau inputs)