News Analysis India

Tag: Mamata Banerjee

  • 2024 Lok Sabha Polls: Mamata Banerjee’s Googly, Mallikarjun Kharge’s Modi Remark Show Congress Party’s Acceptance Of Defeat |

    Seven months into INDIA Bloc’s formation and the grouping has started to disintegrate despite their common resolve to fight the BJP together. Be it Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) or Samajwadi Party, they have given a serious reason to Congress to think for its future strategy. While Mamata Banerjee gave a fresh scare to Congress saying that the grand old party would not even win 40 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Kharge while taking a jibe at the BJP inside the Rajya Sabha, said that it was because of Modi that BJP leaders were seating inside Parliament. 

    While Kharge was taking a jibe at the BJP saying that ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’ ho raha hai, he added that it was because of Narendra Modi that the saffron party got victory. This was one of the rare acceptances by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge indicating that the grand old party has conceded defeat much before the polls and is now only trying to hold the ground that it managed to retain in the 2019 polls.

    Mamata Banerjee in Bengal and Bhagwant Mann in Punjab have already refused to share seats with Congress. Samajwadi Party has already sent a veiled warning to the Congress by announcing names of 16 candidates including one from the Lucknow seat, that the Congress was demanding. Apart from Maharashtra, the Congress is yet to finalize its seat sharing with other allies and the party’s key leader Rahul Gandhi is busy carrying out solo Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. 

    On the other hand, the BJP has already managed its Hindi belt votes by breaking away Nitish Kumar in Bihar from the INDIA bloc, winning Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. With multiple visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the saffron party is also looking to improve its performance in South India, especially in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The party is likely to do well in Karnataka and Telangana despite the opposition governments there. 

    With each passing day, the Congress is losing the opportunity to present a better counter to the BJP and the consequent delay in seat sharing and candidate announcement may hurt the INDIA bloc badly. 

  • Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra hits roadblock; Mamata Banerjee attacks Congress

    The ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday could not complete the Murshidabad’s Kandi and Birbhum part fully in West Bengal due to the class 10 board examination. Later on, the yatra entered Jharkhand after crossing parts of Birbhum’s Murarai. The Congress leadership, however, emphasised on INDIA bloc’s fight against the BJP-RSS in the country.Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “There is only one party – Congress in the country – which has never supported BJP. That is why the INDIA bloc has been formed as we will fight together and defeat the BJP and RSS ideology. The INDIA bloc parties want to defeat BJP. Mamataji also said her priority is to defeat BJP. If there are differences, those can be ironed out.”In contrast to Congress’ mellowed stance, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee attacked the party and said, “We told Congress to fight 300 Lok Sabha seats across the country and give the rest to the regional parties. But they did not listen to us. They (Congress) came to Bengal and they are tinkling Muslims… BJP does this in the case of Hindus. This cannot happen. No one knows if they will win even 40 seats in the country,” Banerjee said.

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  • Will sit on dharna from Feb 2 if Centre does not clear Bengal’s dues: Mamata Banerjee

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she would stage a demonstration in Kolkata from February 2 if the BJP-led Union government does not clear the state’s dues by February 1. Speaking at a public distribution programme in Malda, Banerjee urged party workers and those affected by the non-payment of funds to participate in the dharna, which would be staged at the BR Ambedkar statue in Red Road area in the eastern metropolis. “I have given them an ultimatum till February 1 to clear all dues of the state, failing which I will stage a dharna from February 2. If the dues are not cleared, I know how to get it through a movement. “I urge all party leaders and workers to participate in the dharna… I want everyone’s support,” she said. The chief minister claimed that the state’s dues amount to a mammoth Rs 7,000 crore for several central government-run schemes including MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (PMGAY), among others.

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  • ‘CAA will begin before 2024 elections…’: BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar – The Economic Times Video

    North 24 Parganas (WB): West Bengal BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar on January 30 said that CAA will begin before the 2024 elections. Sukanta Majumdar said, “The CAA will begin before the 2024 elections. We have complete faith in our Union Home Minister… If Amit Shah has said he will implement the CAA, then he will definitely do it. It is not under Mamata Banerjee’s jurisdiction.” The CAA, introduced by the Narendra Modi government, aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014. Following the passage of the CAA by Parliament in December 2019 and its subsequent presidential assent, significant protests erupted in various parts of the country.

  • rahul gandhi: JD(U) blames Cong’s obduracy for INDIA bloc collapse in Bihar, targets Rahul Gandhi

    New Delhi: The JD(U) on Sunday blamed the Congress for the collapse of the INDIA bloc in Bihar, saying its leaders were interested in strengthening their party and not the opposition grouping. Janata Dal (United) spokesperson K C Tyagi told reporters that a “caucus” within the Congress wanted to capture the INDIA bloc leadership and its president Mallikarjun Kharge’s name was proposed as the chairperson of the grouping as part of the conspiracy.

    The decision taken about Kharge at the INDIA bloc meeting earlier this month had shocked the JD(U), which believed that its president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would be named as the convenor without being saddled with any chairperson, its leaders had then said.

    Another JD(U) spokesperson, Rajib Ranjan, was more severe in targeting the Congress, alleging that it first sunk itself by trying to make a person who lacks any quality and harms the opposition alliance a prime minister. The comment was a likely swipe at Rahul Gandhi. Ranjan described the Congress as “bhasmasur” (mythological demon whose touch would burn down anyone).

    Hitting back at the Congress’ charge of opportunism against Kumar after he walked out of the opposition alliance and rejoined hands with old ally BJP, Tyagi said it is the obduracy of the main opposition party that derailed the INDIA bloc.

    He said the JD(U) had problems with the RJD, the main opposition party in Bihar, at a local level but squarely blamed the Congress for the development. “We have regret as well as relief that our leader who brought together the INDIA bloc has walked out of it,” Tyagi said. The Congress wanted to capture the ground of regional parties by making a disproportionate demand of seats in the states they are strong in, he said.

    The party “ordered” its allies like West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bihar CM Kumar to join its Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as if they were its workers, Tyagi added.

    The Congress never accommodated any ally in the states where it is strong, he said and cited several assembly polls.

    The INDIA bloc sorely lacked the optics needed to take on a grassroots party like the BJP, which is headed by a popular leader in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.

  • Congress’ Supriya Shrinate reacts to Mamata Banerjee’s ‘fight alone’ remarks ahead of LS Polls: ‘We’ll contest election together…’ – The Economic Times Video

    New Delhi: After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee clarified that her party, TMC, will fight alone during Lok Sabha polls in the state, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate stated that Mamata Banerjee has a very important role in the INDIA Bloc. She is a part of this alliance, and we will contest this election together, she further added.

  • In Big Setback To INDIA Bloc, Mamata Banerjee’s TMC To Contest 2024 Polls Alone In Bengal |

    KOLKATA: In a huge setback to the Opposition INDIA bloc, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that her party TMC will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election in Bengal on all 42 seats. She further stated that TMC will consider a pan-India alliance with the Congress-led INDIA bloc only after the 2024 election results have been declared. Mamata has also reportedly instructed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and supporters to gear up for a fierce electoral battle on all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. During a meeting in Kalighat, Mamata asserted, “Be ready to fight on all seats. I wanted to leave two, but Congress wants twelve.”

    She added, “I had no discussions with the Congress party. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I am not concerned about what will be done in the country but we are a secular party and, in Bengal, we will alone defeat BJP. I am a part of the INDIA alliance.” 

    “I gave many proposals but they rejected them from the beginning. From then, we have decided to fight the elections in Bengal alone,” the TMC chief said.

     

    West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says “I had no discussions with the Congress party. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I am not concerned about what will be done in the country but we are a secular party and in Bengal, we will alone defeat BJP. I am a part of… pic.twitter.com/VK2HH3arJI
    — ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2024

     

    The Bengal Chief Minister also claimed that she had not been informed of Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra passing through Bengal, contrary to claims by the Congress that they had invited INDIA bloc parties to join the Yatra. “They did not even bother to inform me that they would be coming to West Bengal as a matter of courtesy even though I am a part of the INDIA bloc. So there is no relation with me as far as Bengal is concerned” Mamata Banerjee said.

    Warning Shots: TMC’s Seat-Sharing Deadlock

    With seat-sharing discussions with Congress yielding no results, Mamata had earlier cautioned that TMC is prepared to independently contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats if not given the “due importance.” This declaration sets the stage for a potential showdown within the INDIA bloc.

    Strategic Meeting In Murshidabad: Rallying The Troops

    Mamata’s message was delivered during a closed-door organisational meeting of the party’s Murshidabad district unit, known for its significant minority population and historical ties to the Congress. Emphasizing the need for victory in all three Lok Sabha seats in the district, Mamata urged TMC workers to be battle-ready.

    Congress’ Waning Influence: Bengal’s Political Chessboard

    In the 2019 general elections, Congress managed to retain only the Baharampur seat in West Bengal, highlighting its diminishing political foothold. The state’s political dynamics reveal a complex scenario with TMC, Congress, and CPI(M)-led Left Front allying against the BJP, creating rifts within the Opposition.

    The INDIA Bloc Turmoil: TMC’s Offer And Congress’ Rejection

    Tensions escalated as TMC reportedly offered Congress only two seats, a proposal rejected by the grand old party. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, state Congress president, emphasized that Congress would not “beg” for seats. The fallout raises concerns about the unity of the Opposition ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.

    Last week, the TMC abstained from an INDIA bloc virtual meeting, underscoring the necessity for Congress to recognize its limitations in West Bengal. The ruling party emphasized its role in spearheading the state’s political battle, hinting at growing discontent within the alliance.

    Historical Alliances: TMC’s Past Ties With Congress

    The Trinamool Congress had previously allied with Congress in the 2001 assembly polls, 2009 Lok Sabha elections, and the 2011 assembly polls, leading to the ousting of the CPI(M)-led Left Front government after 34 years. The current discord between TMC and Congress adds a new chapter to their political history. With Mamata’s decision to go alone, it now appears that the doors are closed for the Congress in Bengal. For the INDIA bloc, stitching together a formidable alliance has proven to be a stumbling block and it appears that now the alliance may not be able to put together a united front against the BJP.

  • ram mandir: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee condemns Babri Masjid demolition

    Kolkata: Trinamool Supremo Mamata Banerjee slammed BJP for resorting to vote bank politics ahead of elections and dividing votes on the basis of religion, hinting at Ram Temple consecration ceremony on Monday. Banerjee condemned the Babri Masjid demolition and divisive politics and spoke about religious inclusiveness.

    The Trinamool Supremo kicked off a ‘harmony procession’ on Monday after offering puja to Goddess Kali at Kalighat Temple, on the day of ‘pran pratishtha’ in Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

    “When the election comes, a group of people try to sell the country for the sake of votebank. You (BJP without naming them) are doing politics in time of election…Where were they (BJP) when Babri Masjid was demolished and people died here. Many areas in Kolkata were burning. I provided relief to people voluntarily and helped both Hindu and Muslims. This is history and reality which youth must know,” Mamata Banerjee said while speaking at a public rally following the harmony procession.

  • Ram Mandir consecration: Here’s how Opposition celebrated the event in their own style – The Economic Times Video

    On January 22, 2024, the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Prathistha ceremony took place, which was a momentous occasion. While the event was being celebrated, opposition leaders commemorated it in their own way. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah inaugurated the newly constructed Ram Temple in Mahadevapura assembly, and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee conducted an all-faith harmony rally in Kolkata.

  • INDI Alliance Faces Trouble: Mamata Signals Contesting All Seats In Bengal For Lok Sabha Polls |

    New Delhi: Troubles for the INDI alliance continue to mount as the Lok Sabha Elections draw near. The alliance has yet to reach a consensus on seat-sharing for the parties in several states, with less than three months remaining until the polls.

    Earlier, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in Maharashtra showed reluctance in sharing seats with the Congress. Now, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has indicated that her party, Trinamool Congress, will contest the election on all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state independently.

    On Friday, Mamata Banerjee said that if “due importance” is not given, her party is prepared to contest the election on all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state independently. Banerjee expressed her stance during a closed-door organizational meeting of the party’s Murshidabad district unit.

    During the meeting, she emphasized the imperative for TMC’s triumph on all three Lok Sabha seats in the district and urged party leaders to be prepared for the electoral battle. In the 2019 elections, the Congress only managed to retain the Baharampur seat, where its five-time MP and state party president Adhir Ranjan Choudhary stood.

    Meanwhile, TMC sources revealed that Mamata Banerjee clearly stated that TMC is a crucial partner in the alliance. However, in Bengal, if RSP, CPI, CPI(M) are given more importance, excluding us, then the party will carve its own path. Preparations should be made to contest and win all 42 seats. The CPI(M)-led Left Front, Congress, and TMC collectively constitute the opposition alliance ‘India.’ However, in West Bengal, CPI(M) and Congress have formed an alliance against TMC and BJP.

    Conversely, tensions within the ‘India’ alliance have surfaced over seat allocation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, particularly between pivotal allies Congress and TMC. The Congress deemed TMC’s proposal of two seats, determined by the 2019 Lok Sabha election outcomes, insufficient, intensifying the discord between the two parties. Banerjee’s remarks followed closely after Chaudhary, a vocal critic of TMC, asserted that Congress would not “beg” for seats from the Trinamool Congress.