Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee’s decision to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha polls independently in West Bengal sent alliance partners in the INDIA bloc into a tizzy. While some attempted to ward off talks of a burgeoning rift in the alliance, others claimed the Bengal Chief Minister’s move was only to be expected.
Shiv Sena (UBT) sources said they had anticipated Mamata Banerjee’s decision to go it alone. “The development was expected. There was very little scope of Mamata going with Congress,” they said.
“As far as the alliance is concerned, in Maharashtra, everything is well,” sources from Team Uddhav, which is in alliance with the NCP and Congress, added.
Speaking to reporters, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said Mamata Banerjee was “fighting like a lioness” in Bengal and that the battle for the state was a very important one.
Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj acknowledged the challenges of seat-sharing in any political alliance but asserted that both Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi were committed to the success of the INDIA bloc.
“TMC is a big party in West Bengal; Congress and the Left have always been fighting against them. Seat-sharing with TMC will be a little difficult. The issues between them will be resolved,” said Bharadwaj.
He also called on Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhury to steer clear of making “controversial statements” about Mamata Banerjee and her party. The Lok Sabha MP had set off a row after calling Mamata Banerjee an “opportunist” and declaring that his party wouldn’t be contesting the upcoming polls with her help.
“I have noticed that Adhir Ranjan makes these kinds of remarks whenever talks are headed in a positive direction. Such remarks prove to be detrimental,” he remarked.
Without mentioning the Congress or any of its leaders by name, Mamata Banerjee claimed her proposals for seat-sharing were rejected, in a further indication of fresh turmoil brewing within the INDIA bloc.
Rejecting such speculation, NCP working president Supriya Sule said, “She [Mamata] is our didi and we love and respect her. The alliance is united and we will all fight together. There will be no loss to the alliance. The model in every state will be different. There is no infighting in the alliance. We are in frequent conversation.”
RJD MP Manoj Jha urged patience and suggested that there might have been a certain context to Mamata Banerjee’s statement. “Please wait for some time. If there is a conflict, then the alliance will solve it,” said Jha.
NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) spokesperson Clyde Crasto wondered if the Bengal leader’s move was strategic. “Mamata Banerjee and her party are an important part of the INDIA alliance. They are with us and we will fight it strongly. If she has made a statement, this could be part of a strategy…There is no issue in the INDIA alliance. We are fighting it strongly against BJP,” he said.
