West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Monday her unavailability to attend the crucial opposition INDIA bloc meeting, organized by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in New Delhi on June 1.
Explaining her absence, Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress chief, outlined two primary reasons.
"First of all, on June 1, there will be the final and seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls for nine constituencies in West Bengal. Secondly, because of Cyclone Remal, many people have been displaced and are currently residing in temporary shelters. I will have to supervise that as well. These two factors are important for me and hence I will be staying back on June 1," she stated during an election rally in Kolkata Uttar Lok Sabha constituency, advocating for party candidate and sitting MP Sudip Bandopadhyay.
However, Banerjee didn't confirm whether she would delegate a representative for the meeting.
In her address, she continued her critique of both the Congress and the CPI-M.
"These two parties have the only aim in West Bengal. That is to benefit the BJP by dividing the opposition votes," she alleged.
