West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will meet Indian National Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday to discuss issues regarding Presidential race. This will be their second meeting within 10 days. After Banerjee met Sonia and Rahul Gandhi on May 16 in New Delhi, she had said political discussions other than the ensuing Presidential election had taken place, but she did not elaborate. This led to speculation about a probable alliance between the Congress and Trinamool Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury, however, expressed his dissatisfaction over this. "It has brought us a lot of embarrassment. Mamata has been squeezing out the entire Opposition space in Bengal. It is embarrassing when common workers ask various questions and we have to convince them saying that the meetings took place because of national political dimensions," Chowdhury told DNA.
Sources said Mamata likely will push President Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee as the Congress candidate for Rajya Sabha from Bengal. Political analysts said Mukherjee will be a better choice for Mamata as Congress's other candidates are in fierce opposition to the WB CM.
State BJP, on the other hand, is quick to seize the opportunity. BJP national secretary and former state president Rahul Sinha on Tuesday said, "Mamata has realised that the upsurge of BJP in Bengal will defeat her so she is trying to help other Opposition parties gain grounds. There was a planned lathi charge on CPI(M) workers yesterday by Mamata Banerjee's police so that CPI(M) gets some sympathy. The meeting with Sonia is to help Congress."
Analysis
With the growing popularity of the BJP in West Bengal, the ruling party TMC feels threatened.
The meetings, twice in 10 days, between Mamata and Sonia are indicative of a possible electoral alliance.
The possibility of this Cong-TMC alliance, and even CPI(M)-TMC, on the other hand, is putting pressure on BJP.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Mamata-Sonia")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}