Political Tensions Rise as Mamata Banerjee Criticizes Congress Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections
Kolkata, 3rd February 2024: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee voiced scepticism about the Congress party’s electoral prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, suggesting they might struggle to secure even 40 seats. Banerjee accused the Congress of employing the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as a strategy to garner Muslim votes, raising questions about the party’s motives and focus on specific voter demographics in the state.
Mamata Banerjee proposed that the Congress contest 300 seats across the country where the BJP serves as the main opposition, a suggestion she claimed the Congress rejected. Her comments underscored a growing discord between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress over seat-sharing arrangements and electoral strategies.
In response, Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, strongly criticized Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of altering her stance due to fear of the BJP. Chowdhury emphasized that neither the BJP nor Banerjee appeared inclined towards favourable results for the Congress. He expressed concern over the alignment of language between Banerjee and the BJP when it comes to discussing the Congress party.
Chowdhury’s remarks were delivered during a briefing in Murshidabad, highlighting the ongoing differences between the TMC and Congress over seat-sharing negotiations for the impending general elections. Banerjee’s previous announcement of not sharing a single seat with Congress until it severed ties with the Left, specifically the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led alliance, has further strained relations within the INDIA bloc.
