Willing to lead INDIA bloc if given opportunity: Mamata

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction with the functioning of the opposition INDIA bloc, signaling her intent to take charge of the alliance if given an opportunity.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said she could manage the dual responsibility of running the opposition front while continuing her role as the chief minister of West Bengal.

“I had formed the INDIA bloc, now it is up to those leading the front to manage it. If they can’t run the show, what can I do? I would just say that everyone needs to be taken along,” she said in an interview with Bengali news channel News 18 Bangla on Friday.

Asked why she is not taking the charge of the bloc, given her credentials as a strong anti-BJP force, Banerjee said, “If given the opportunity I would ensure its smooth functioning.” “I don’t want to go outside West Bengal, but I can run it from here,” she said.

The INDIA bloc, formed to counter the BJP, comprises over two dozen opposition parties. However, internal differences and a lack of coordination have drawn criticism from various quarters.

Her remarks come days after her party MP Kalyan Banerjee called on the Congress and other INDIA bloc allies to set aside their egos and recognise Mamata Banerjee as the leader of the opposition alliance.

The BJP delivered a stunning performance in Maharashtra, securing a record number of seats that propelled the party-led ruling Mahayuti alliance to a landslide victory, while the INDIA bloc made a strong comeback in Jharkhand, driven by a spectacular showing from the JMM.

The Congress continued its losing streak, posting its worst-ever performance in Maharashtra and ending up as a distant junior partner to the ruling JMM in Jharkhand, with its role in the opposition bloc further diminishing as other allies outperformed it.

On the other hand, the TMC’s recent bypoll victories defeating the BJP have reinforced the party’s dominance in West Bengal, despite opposition campaigns focusing on controversies like the RG Kar Medical College protests.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front, its ally CPI(ML) Liberation, and the Congress, allies of the TMC at the national level in INDIA bloc, all suffered major setbacks, with their candidates losing their deposits.

While Congress being the largest party of the INDIA bloc has often been perceived as the coalition’s de facto leader, the TMC has consistently advocated for Mamata Banerjee to take the reins of the alliance.