West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday evening met Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi at 10, Janpath. Former party president and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi was also present during the meeting here.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mamata expressed hope about a positive outcome in the future.
“Sonia ji invited me for tea, Rahul ji was also there. We discussed the political situation in general, Pegasus and COVID situation, and also discussed the unity of opposition. It was a very good meeting. I think a positive result must come out in the future,” the Trinamool Congress leader said.
She said to defeat the BJP, all (opposition parties) have to come together.
“It is essential for everyone to come together in order to defeat the BJP… Alone, I am nothing – everyone will have to work together. I am not a leader, I am a cadre. I am a person from the street,” she said.
“Sonia Gandhi also wants the unity of the opposition… Congress trusts the regional parties and regional parties trust Congress,” she had asserted earlier in the day.
Mamata also spoke on the Pegasus snooping matter while speaking to reporters: “Why is the government not replying to Pegasus? People want to know. If policy decisions are not made in Parliament, if discussions are not held there, where will they take place? This is not done at tea stalls, this is done in Parliament,” Mamata stated.
The meeting assumes significance as reports have been doing the rounds that Banerjee is trying to unite Opposition parties for the next Lok Sabha elections to take on the Narendra Modi-powered Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Notably, the TMC supremo’s meet with Gandhi came days after election strategist Prashant Kishor met the interim Congress president, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Delhi. Following the meeting, reports said that Kishor discussed the 2024 General elections and other issues related to the grand old party.
Interestingly, Prashant Kishor had strategised Mamata Banerjee’s election campaign for the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. TMC secured an absolute majority in the Bengal polls by defeating the BJP.
Banerjee, who had reached the national capital on Monday evening, met Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Anand Sharma and Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday.
The West Bengal CM also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and described it as part of the protocol.
“I had asked for an appointment from the PM… This was a courtesy visit. Post-election, following the protocol we have to meet the PM once. But I also spoke about the Covid situation. I asked him to ensure that West Bengal gets enough vaccine doses. I am not against giving vaccines to other states, but considering the population of Bengal, we need more doses,” Mamata had told reporters after meeting PM Modi.
When asked to comment whether her meetings with Opposition leaders were aimed at General elections, Mamata responded by saying that the unity of opposition parties will take shape on its own.
“However, planning for it has to be done in advance. Like there is election in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Tripura. Like how happened in Tripura with our boys and the issue of Dainik Jagran,” the TMC chief said.
“Opposition unity will happen naturally, automatically. The country will lead the Opposition, we are the followers,” she said when asked whether she will lead the Opposition against the BJP in next Lok Sabha elections.
