Calling for the selection of the opposition leader in a democratic manner, poll strategist Prashant Kishor on Thursday targeted the Congress by stating that its leadership was not the divine right of an individual and pointed out that the party has lost more than 90 per cent elections in the last 10 years.
Kishor's remarks come after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's jibe at Congress saying "there is no UPA" soon after a meeting in Mumbai with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, an ally of Congress in Maharashtra.
Taking to Twitter, Kishor said, "The IDEA and SPACE that Congress represents is vital for a strong opposition. But Congress' leadership is not the DIVINE RIGHT of an individual especially when the party has lost more than 90 per cent elections in the last 10 years. Let opposition leadership be decided Democratically."
Notably, the election strategist was roped in by Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 resulting in a landslide victory.
However, Mamata's remarks evoked a strong response from the Congress party, currently being led by interim president Sonia Gandhi.
At an event in Mumbai, the TMC chief said if all the regional parties come together then defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be very easy.
Trinamool Congress was once part of the United Progressive Alliance, an alliance of several parties including Congress that remained in power at the Centre for 10 years from 2004 to 2014 when the BJP came to power.
After the TMC's landslide victory in West Bengal Assembly polls held earlier this year, Mamata is continuously pitching for a strong alternative at the national level but indirectly taking on Congress.
In a seeming attempt at pan-national expansion or alliance with "like minded-parties" ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, she has recently visited Delhi and Mumbai where she held a series of meetings with top leaders of various political outfits.
However, she didn't meet Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi during her last visit.Interestingly, during her Delhi visit in July this year, Mamata Banerjee had met Congress interim Chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
So far from Congress, its leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was taking the lead in vehemently criticising the TMC chief as he has an old feud with her in West Bengal. It may be noted that Congress and Left parties fought together in West Bengal Assembly polls against the TMC and the BJP.
Targeting the TMC chief, Youth Congress chief BV Srinivas wrote on Twitter, "Ask any question to Modi ji, you will be called a Deshdrohi.. Ask any question to Mamta Di, you will be called a Maoist... What's the difference between both?"
Congress received a major jolt in Meghalaya after 12 of its MLAs out of 17 joined Trinamool Congress, making it the state's main Opposition. One of the prominent figures of the new entrants includes former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma.
TMC has witnessed a steady stream of leaders joining its ranks after quitting from Congress in the last few months.
( With inputs from ANI )
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