NEW DELHI: The Congress, weakened by its electoral losses in Haryana and Maharashtra, now faces a strong challenge to its leadership of the INDIA(Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc. Days after the Congress dismissed Mamata Banerjee‘s pitch to lead the opposition coalition as a ” good joke”, some of its allies have openly backed the Trinamool chief’s claim while others said they are open to the idea of leadership change.
Mamata Banerjee had last week expressed dissatisfaction with the functioning of the INDIA bloc and signalled her intent to take charge of the alliance if given the opportunity. “What can I do if they cannot run the show? I do not lead the front. Those who are in leadership positions there should think about it. But still, I am maintaining my connections with the regional and national parties,” Mamata had said. “There are some who cannot tolerate me. If given the responsibility, though I do not want that, I can run it (INDIA bloc) from West Bengal. But I do not want to stay away from Bengal. I was born here and will die here,” the West Bengal chief minister had added.
Also read: Mamata Banerjee says ready to lead INDIA bloc. Is opposition open to rejig?
While Mamata’s target would be the Gandhis, especially Rahul, the fact remains that the INDIA bloc is being led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at present.
On Tuesday, RJD chief Lalu Prasad not just endorsed Mamata’s claim but also dismissed any possible objections by the Congress. “Mamta Banerjee should be allowed to head the INDIA bloc. The Congress’s opposition will not make any difference,” Lalu said when asked about change in leadership of the opposition coalition.
Lalu is the second senior leader of the opposition coalition to endorse Mamata’s leadership claim. Last week, NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar had said the Trinamool Congress chief is a capable leader and has the right to show her intent to head the opposition alliance. “She is a capable leader in the country and has the right to say it. The MPs she has sent to the Parliament are hardworking and aware,” Pawar had said when asked about Mamata’s claim.
The Shiv Sena(UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray has also backed the idea of discussions on leadership change and wants the Congress to convene a meeting of the INDIA bloc to discuss the issue.
“If some of our allies, be it TMC, Lalu ji, or Akhilesh ji, have a different opinion about the INDIA alliance, we all have formed the INDIA alliance together. If someone wants to say something new and wants to strengthen the INDIA bloc, then it should be considered,” Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said. “Congress should join the discussion and put forward its point,” he added.
Samajwadi Party, another key party of the opposition alliance, feels Mamata’s leadership claim is triggered by string of poor electoral performances by the Congress.
“In Himachal Pradesh, where the Congress is in power, they lost all four seats. Similarly, in Karnataka and Telangana, both Congress-ruled states, they lost half of their Lok Sabha seats. Furthermore, Congress failed to win even a single seat in Madhya Pradesh. It suffered major losses in Chhattisgarh. Had Congress performed better in the Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi would not have become the Prime Minister today,” Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav had said reacting to calls for change in INDIA bloc leadership.
Also read: INDIA bloc hits rough weather? All is not well between Samajwadi Party & Congress
Mamata’s party Trinamool Congress, however, directly targeted the Congress and urged the grand old party to get rid of its ego.
“We had said earlier only that Congress should understand that INDIA bloc has failed under its leadership. It will be good if Mamata Didi is brought for leadership (of INDIA bloc). Out of all the leaders, Mamata Didi’s name is on top when it comes to fighting politically,” TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said. “Congress should get rid of its ego. She knows how to raise the issues related to the people,” he added.
This is not the first time Mamata Banerjee has taken up cudgels against the Congress. Ahead of the 2019 elections, Mamata alongwith TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao had made a strong pitch for a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front. However, their efforts for a third front did not fructify.
The INDIA bloc’s first meeting in Patna was hosted by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who had worked actively to bring together regional parties against the BJP. More than 32 leaders of around 17 political parties had attended the Patna meeting. However, from there on the Congress took over the leadership of the coalition and Nitish, who wanted to be the leader/convener of the alliance, eventually walked out of the INDIA bloc and joined hands with the BJP.
While Congress has struggled to defeat the BJP in elections after elections, Mamata Banerjee has emerged as a strong anti-BJP pillar in West Bengal defeating the saffron party again and again in her state. However, the Congress has been quick to question Mamata’s electoral performance outside West Bengal.
With 99 MPs in Lok Sabha and the only party to have pan-India presence, the Congress is unlikely to accept the leadership of any regional leader, more so of Mamata Banerjee with whom they share a blow hot and cold relationship. With its dwindling electoral fortunes, the grand old party faces a real challenge this time around. The Congress seems to have survived BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s electoral pitch of Congress-mukt Bharat and Congress-mukt India, but if the regional parties continue to flex their muscles, we may see Congress-mukt INDIA – an opposition bloc minus the Congress.
(With inputs from agencies)
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