Cong invites Mamata for next INDIA bloc meeting

With few months left for the Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is learnt to have received calls from top rung leaders of Congress, including Rahul Gandhi, inviting her for the next INDIA bloc meeting that is likely to be held at Nagpur next month.

Sources said that Mamata, who is presently ailing from her knee injuries, has agreed to attend the meeting, the date for which is yet to be fixed.

It was learnt that she received the calls on Tuesday. She was contacted by Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress national president. Further, she was also contacted by Nationalist Congress Party senior leader Sharad Pawar.

It was learnt that the Congress leaders were keen on holding the next INDIA bloc meeting at the end of this month. However, Mamata is learnt to have conveyed that it will not be possible for her to attend the meeting during that time owing to Lakshmi Puja.

She is learnt to have assured that if the meeting is instead held in the first week of November, she will be attending it. It was also taken into account that Mizoram is going for elections on October 7 and hence it is prudent to hold the meeting before.

Further, it was learnt that there were deliberations initially on where the next meeting could be held. Two options that were considered are Patna and Nagpur. Sources said that Nagpur, being the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), surfaced as the popular choice. It was learnt that Congress is keen on holding the meeting at Nagpur where it wants to highlight the attacks on the secular fabric of the country.

Sources said that the Congress also intends to hold talks with TMC on carrying out a caste census in Bengal in a similar way as was conducted in Bihar recently. It was learnt that TMC was one party that was against this idea.

It was learnt that both the parties are also to hold talks on the seat-sharing formula. Recently, TMC got in touch with Congress leadership regarding the same. The ruling party of Bengal is learnt to have given time to Congress to convey its decision by October second week. As to what could be the possible seat sharing understanding, sources said that TMC is likely to leave overall two seats to Congress in Bengal.

Also, it was learnt that members of the INDIA bloc have opined that it is better if the seat sharing is discussed in a coordination committee meeting headed by senior and experienced leaders instead of young leaders.