Panchayat Polls Rivalry Threatens to Derail Oppn's Bengaluru Meet as Cong, TMC Trade Blows in Bengal

The mega Opposition meet in Bengaluru next week faces yet another hurdle with the Congress and Trinamool Congress refusing to see eye to eye after the recent panchayat elections in West Bengal.

The battlefields for the conflict this time are Maldah and Murshidabad, both areas where the Congress holds sway but Mamata Banerjee’s TMC has been able to make inroads. Apart from being tightly contested, most poll-related deaths were from the two areas.

Addressing the media after the panchayat results — which saw the TMC sweep the state — Banerjee said: “I feel pity for CPM-Congress. I will not say anything because there is talk of a national alliance but do you think you will behave this way and I will entertain you?”

Without naming senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Banerjee blamed him for the violence in Murshidabad.

Sources in TMC say the party is serious about opposition unity at the national level but the high command may raise the issue of enmity with the Congress in the next meeting with the Grand Old Party’s top brass.

TMC is ready to walk with Congress and CPM for the bigger cause of ousting BJP but feels that the way Bengal Congress attacks the party is totally uncalled for and it is this message that will be given to the Congress, say party insiders.

The Trinamool Congress is also of the opinion that since Congress is not powerful in Bengal, there cannot be any deal with the party at the state level.

The BJP, on the other hand, has started attacking Congress, asking how the Gandhis will shake hands with TMC when Congress workers have been killed by Banerjee’s party.

Mocking the idea of opposition unity, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said: “Mamata Banerjee is hitting out at the Congress and CPM in the state but having tea with Sitaram Yechury in Patna. Even if Rahul Gandhi does not acknowledge Banerjee, she goes ahead and talks to him.”

So far as the Congress is concerned, Chowdhury remains the chief minister’s biggest critic. It seems impossible for him to tone down the animosity with TMC in Bengal, given that he has branded Banerjee the ‘B team’ of BJP.

In light of the developments, the Bengaluru meeting will be interesting to watch with all eyes on the TMC-Congress wavelength.