‘I can run it from here’: Mamata Banerjee expresses interest to run INDIA bloc from West Bengal
The INDIA bloc, formed to challenge the BJP includes over two dozen opposition parties. However, internal divisions and poor coordination have faced criticism.
West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo (TMC) Mamata Banerjee on Friday expressed dissatisfaction with the way the opposition INDIA bloc is functioning and signalled her readiness to lead it if given the chance.
She said that she was capable of handling both the responsibilities of leading the opposition front and continuing her role as the chief minister of West Bengal.
“I had formed the INDIA bloc, now it is up to those leading the front to manage it. If they can't run the show, what can I do? I would just say that everyone needs to be taken along,” Banerjee said in an interview with Bengali news channel News 18 Bangla.
Asked why she is not taking charge of the alliance despite her credentials as a strong anti-BJP force, Banerjee said, “If given the opportunity I would ensure its smooth functioning.”
“I don't want to go outside Bengal, but I can run it from here,” she added.
The INDIA bloc, formed to challenge the BJP, includes over two dozen opposition parties. However, internal divisions and poor coordination have faced criticism.
Banerjee's comments follow those of her party MP Kalyan Banerjee, who urged Congress and other bloc allies to set aside egos and acknowledge Mamata Banerjee as the leader of the opposition alliance.
The BJP delivered an impressive performance in Maharashtra, securing a record number of seats and leading the Mahayuti alliance to a landslide victory.
Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc made a strong comeback in Jharkhand, with the JMM's spectacular performance driving its success.
The Congress continued its decline, recording its worst-ever performance in Maharashtra and becoming a distant junior partner to the JMM in Jharkhand, with its influence in the opposition bloc diminishing as other allies outperformed it.
On the other hand, the TMC's recent bypoll victories defeating the BJP have reinforced the party's dominance in West Bengal, despite opposition campaigns focusing on controversies like the RG Kar Medical College protests.
The CPI(M)-led Left Front, its ally CPI(ML) Liberation, and the Congress, allies of the TMC at the national level in INDIA bloc, all suffered major setbacks, with their candidates losing their deposits.
While Congress being the largest party of the INDIA bloc has often been perceived as the coalition's de facto leader, the TMC has consistently advocated for Mamata Banerjee to take the reins of the alliance.
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