Trinamool: Meeting with Congress strictly issue-based, no talk of alliances for LS polls

Kolkata: For the first time, Trinamool Congress MPs participated in an Opposition meeting called by the Congress but clarified that it is strictly issue-based and has nothing to do concerning any alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Following Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha, TMC MPs joined the opposition meeting called by the Leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge in his chamber on Monday. TMC’s Prasoon Banerjee and Jawahar Sircar attended the meeting.

However, TMC sources said that the meeting was strictly issue-based and does not have anything to do with forging any possible alliances with Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. However, the TMC MPs may skip the dinner at Kharge’s residence, sources said.

TMC insiders are of the opinion that it was vital to participate in the meeting since the BJP allegedly launched a full-scale attack on democracy. “The way Rahul Gandhi was disqualified was a clear message of intimidation to Opposition party members by the saffron brigade. The BJP is doing all to silence the voices of the Opposition parties, and crush any form of dissent. If we don’t raise our voices today to oppose this, tomorrow it will be another MP from another opposition party” said the TMC source.

Asked whether this solidarity will also pave the way for an alliance with Congress to beat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the party insider said that TMC is in talks with leaders from several opposition parties but have no intentions at the moment to forge any alliance with the Congress.

Recently, after the working committee meeting of the TMC convened by its supremo Mamata Banerjee at Kalighat, party leaders Sudip Bandopadhyay and Chandrima Bhattacharya had made it clear that TMC alone has enough merit and strength to fight the BJP. Commenting on any scope of alliance with Congress, they asserted that Congress must first clear its stance.

It is learnt that TMC is looking ahead to tie up with regional parties. “Almost 15 parties have left NDA. These are the parties we also want to reach out to. Congress can fight alone in states where they have a strong presence and it has to stop acting as the big boss of the Opposition” said Sudip.