Mamata Congratulates People of Karnataka, Calls Poll Result An End of 'Authoritarian' Politics

Congress emerged victorious in Karnataka, prompting congratulatory calls from various leaders across the country. After the clean sweep by Congress, there’s an upbeat mood in the Opposition camp.

Following suit, Mamata Banerjee also took to Twitter to express her thoughts. In her tweet, she saluted the people of Karnataka for their decisive mandate in favor of change. She emphasized the defeat of brute authoritarian and majoritarian politics, highlighting that when people seek plurality and democratic forces, no central design to dominate can suppress their spontaneity. This serves as a moral lesson for the future.

While Mamata’s tweet reflects her happiness at defeating the BJP, she does not specifically congratulate Congress. Similarly, Abhishek Banerjee also reacts to the Karnataka win by congratulating the people of Karnataka, without mentioning Congress. According to Banerjee, the idea is to vote against the BJP, rejecting politics based on religion and issues like love jihad. Bengal rejected such politics in 2021, Karnataka followed suit, and he believes India will do the same in 2024.

It is evident that for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), it was the BJP’s defeat that people overturned, rather than a victory for Congress. Even during Mamata’s media interactions in the evening, she emphasized that the BJP would not exceed 100 seats in the Lok Sabha, reiterating the sentiment of “no vote to BJP.”

While the Karnataka election suggests that Congress will gain momentum, it is clear that the TMC does not want to credit Congress, as stated by experts. The relationship between Congress and TMC has been strained over the past year and a half, with TMC blaming Congress for not effectively opposing the BJP, which has led to the BJP’s strong position. TMC aims to position itself as the primary alternative to the BJP in various regions, minimizing space for Congress.

On the other hand, TMC has welcomed leaders like Mukul Sangma and Sushmita Dev from Congress, leading to dissatisfaction within the Congress party. Mamata will strive to unite the opposition, but the dynamics between TMC and Congress in the lead-up to the 2024 elections remain uncertain. The future development of opposition unity will also be closely watched.