Day After Rahul Gandhi Says Seat Talks Still On, Mamata Banerjee Says TMC to Go it Alone in WB

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee told reporters today, January 24, that she will go it alone in the Lok Sabha polls – at least in Bengal – noting that the Congress had not informed her of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra at all. These comments came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi insisted that seat-sharing discussions are still on.

"We had given them a proposal and they had turned it down. Since then we had decided that we will go it alone in Bengal," she said.

Talks

In an attempt to diffuse the situation, senior Congress leader Jayram Ramesh told PTI that talks are still on:

“We all respect Mamata Banerjee, but sometimes, there are speed breakers come on sometimes speed breakers come in a long journey, but we will find a way through discussion. Mamata Banerjee's priority is to defeat the BJP, and with the same intention, the 'Bharat Jodo Naya Yatra' will enter Cooch Behar, West Bengal tomorrow.”

Yesterday, a day after Banerjee had hinted at going it alone in the upcoming general election, West Bengal state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called her an “opportunist” and declared that the party intends to participate in the Lok Sabha elections without her backing. 

Addressing a press conference, Chowdhury strongly criticised the Bengal chief minister. “She has always been a weathercock. This is her excuse to create a binary like in 2019 and 2021 – which would benefit her party and the Bharatiya Janata Party.”

On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi, addressing the media on the sidelines of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, insisted that talks on seat-sharing in Bengal for the Lok Sabha polls were still on.

"Mamata Banerjee is very close to me. Sometimes our leaders say something. Such comments won't matter," Gandhi said reacting to Choudhury’s statement. 

Nyay Yatra

While Congress maintains Mamata Banerjee was invited to join the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, today hit out at Gandhi and Congress leadership. “We’re an alliance partner, yet they did not have the courtesy to inform me.”

The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to enter West Bengal on Thursday and cover four districts in the first phase.

Mohammed Salim, state secretary of the CPI(M), another INDIA bloc partner today indicated that the party might not join the Yatra. With the scheduled CPI(M) central committee meeting coinciding with the first few days of the Yatra in West Bengal, the party is expected to give the first phase a miss.

“We have already made it amply clear that we will unite all forces against RSS-BJP. TMC’s role historically is not against the RSS project. She never firmly presents her political stance except positioning her priorities. We will join all movements demanding justice. Since we are being invited, there will be no problem at the moment in joining the Bharat Naya Yatra,” stated Salim.

Seat concerns

It is learnt that Trinamool Congress had offered two seats to the Congress, which they had won in the 2019 elections. However, the state congress chief Adhir Chowdhury is understood to be vehemently opposed to the idea of sharing seats with the TMC.

According to TMC sources, the Congress leadership has asked for 10-12 Lok Sabha seats, something which TMC chief Banerjee has called “unjustified”. Congress did not win any seats in the state in the 2021 assembly election. Its lone MLA, Bayron Biswas, who won the Sagardighi bypoll joined TMC last year.

“On the face of Ram Mandir wave and possible polarisation, Mamata Banerjee’s Sanhati rally and internal reports must have given her the confidence that she can do away with any alliance with Congress. She may think TMC will reap the benefits of the polarisation. However, there is a risk of BJP making electoral gains out of it. They may not repeat the 2019 performance, but it can be closer to the results,” said political analyst Sambit Pal.

Congress has maintained an understanding with the Left in West Bengal for a few years now. While in 2021, the alliance’s vote share came down to a dismal 10%, in the 20023 Panchayat elections, the combined vote share of the Left, Congress, and Indian Secular Front (ISF) improved significantly to cross the 20% mark despite allegations of massive irregularities and violence in the area where the alliance was the key opposition.

While officially there is no discussion between the CPI(M) and Congress, sources on both sides are not ruling out possible alliances. CPI(M) has always maintained that they would not be forming any kind of alliance with Trinamool in the state.

“Mamata has made it very clear today that she will decide after the election which way to go. She is keeping dual options open. It’s too early to comment. INC now has to take the call,” confirmed Md. Salim.

ISF leader Naushad Siddiqui, the lone alliance MLA in the assembly said, “We will not be a part of any alliance with TMC. That has always been our stand.”

Meanwhile, on Monday, gates and cut-outs put up to welcome Rahul Gandhi were vandalised in Cooch Behar town. 

“Congress workers are excited about Rahul Gandhi's visit. Two big gates were erected in Cooch Behar town. Our preparations were complete, but all of that was destroyed. We have lodged a police complaint,” said Cooch Behar district Congress leader Shib Shankar Sarkar.

This copy was updated after publication with Mamata Banerjee's comments.

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