The Trinamool Congress (TMC) declared on Tuesday that the Congress and Left parties have been reduced to zero in West Bengal under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, emphasizing that they aim to replicate the same fate for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
During an all-party meeting ahead of the Budget session, TMC leader Sudip Bandhopadhyay stated that as the largest party in the INDIA bloc, the Congress holds greater responsibility and should have deferred seat-sharing decisions in West Bengal to Mamata Banerjee's discretion. Bandhopadhyay reiterated the TMC's stance to contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
The Congress is the biggest party in the INDIA bloc and has the most responsibility, he said, adding his party remains a member of the alliance. Airing the regional party’s grievances with the Congress over the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and seat-sharing talks, he said had the main opposition party informed the TMC about the Yatra in advance Banerjee could have joined it.
He noted that the invitation from the Congress to join the Yatra came too late. Bandhopadhyay pointed out that the Yatra is set to reenter Bengal on Wednesday, emphasizing the tardiness of the Congress's invitation. He criticized the timing of the invitation, stating that receiving it after the Yatra had commenced renders it pointless.