West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her dissatisfaction with the current functioning of the opposition INDIA bloc, suggesting her readiness to assume leadership of the alliance if the opportunity arises. Speaking in an interview with Bengali news channel News 18 Bangla on Friday, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo made it clear that she could manage both the opposition front and her role as Chief Minister of West Bengal simultaneously.
“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,” she remarked, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Banerjee further addressed the question of why she had not yet assumed leadership of the alliance, especially given her status as a strong anti-BJP figure. “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 said.
The INDIA bloc, which comprises over two dozen opposition parties, was formed to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, internal differences and a lack of coordination within the alliance have drawn criticism from several quarters.
Mamata Banerjee On Her Sucessor As TMC Supremo
In another part of the interview, Mamata Banerjee addressed the question of her successor within the TMC, amid ongoing debates about leadership dynamics between the party’s veteran leaders and younger faction. Banerjee firmly stated that any decision regarding her successor would be made collectively by the party, rather than by her alone.
“I am not the party; we are the party. It is a collective family, and decisions will be made collectively,” she remarked, rejecting suggestions of individual dominance. When asked about her potential successor, CM Mamata countered, “Who is your successor?” She emphasised the collective nature of the party, saying, “We have MLAs, MPs, booth workers, this is a joint effort.”
According to PTI, Mamata also responded to the debate surrounding the prioritisation of younger versus experienced leaders, saying, “Everyone is important. Today’s newcomer will be tomorrow’s veteran.”
Additionally, Mamata took an indirect swipe at political consultants, particularly the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), which has been working with the TMC since 2019. “Some strategists make surveys sitting at home and change them later. They can arrange things but not bring voters. It’s the booth workers who know the villages and people who actually win elections,” she remarked, adding that consultants are like “artisans who do their work in exchange for money,” but they are not the ones who win elections.
Mamata’s remarks followed a call from her party MP, Kalyan Banerjee, who urged Congress and other INDIA bloc allies to set aside their egos and recognise Mamata Banerjee as the leader of the opposition alliance. Her comments also came in the wake of significant political developments, with the BJP achieving a record number of seats in Maharashtra, securing a landslide victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, while the INDIA bloc made a strong comeback in Jharkhand, thanks to a stellar performance by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Despite setbacks faced by the Congress, including its worst-ever performance in Maharashtra, and diminishing influence in Jharkhand, the TMC’s recent bypoll victories have reinforced the party’s dominance in West Bengal. The TMC’s continued success, despite opposition campaigns focusing on controversies such as the RG Kar Medical College protests, contrasts sharply with the poor showings of the CPI(M)-led Left Front and Congress, both allies of the TMC within the INDIA bloc.
While Congress, as the largest party in the INDIA bloc, has often been seen as the coalition’s de facto leader, the TMC has consistently advocated for Mamata Banerjee to take charge of the alliance.