West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the performance of the opposition INDIA bloc, showing she wants to helm the alliance if a chance arose.
The TMC chief said she can handle dual responsibility of heading the opposition front and performing her responsibility as the chief minister of West Bengal.
"I had formed the INDIA bloc, now it is up to those leading the front to manage it. If they can't run the show, what can I do? I would just say that everyone needs to be taken along," she said in an interview with Bengali news channel News 18 Bangla on Friday.
Asked why she is not taking charge of the bloc, given her credentials as a strong anti-BJP force, Banerjee said, "If given the opportunity I would ensure its smooth functioning. I do not want to go out of West Bengal, but I can run it from here," she said.
The INDIA bloc was formed with the aim of countering the BJP, and consists of over two dozen opposition parties. However, internal differences and a lack of coordination have been widely criticized from various quarters.
Her statement comes at a time when her party MP Kalyan Banerjee urged the Congress and other INDIA bloc allies to keep aside their egos and recognize Mamata Banerjee as the leader of the opposition alliance.
The BJP delivered a stunning performance in Maharashtra, securing a record number of seats that propelled the party-led ruling Mahayuti alliance to a landslide victory, while the INDIA bloc made a strong comeback in Jharkhand, driven by a spectacular showing from the JMM.
The Congress continued on its losing streak, posting its worst-ever performance in Maharashtra and ending up as a far junior partner to the ruling JMM in Jharkhand, with its role in the opposition bloc further diminishing as other allies outperformed it.
On the other hand, the TMC's recent bypoll victories defeating the BJP have consolidated the party's dominance in West Bengal despite opposition campaigns focusing on controversies like the RG Kar Medical College protests.
The CPI(M)-led Left Front, its ally CPI(ML) Liberation, and the Congress, allies of the TMC at the national level in the INDIA bloc, all suffered major setbacks, with their candidates losing their deposits.
Although Congress is the largest party of the INDIA bloc, often looked at as the coalition de facto leader, TMC has never failed to urge Mamata Banerjee to be in charge of the alliance.
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