Mamata Banerjee

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief had sent invites for a meeting of opposition leaders to build consensus on a joint opposition candidate. Prominent names who skipped the opposition meet were Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), K. Chandrasekhar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

The Trinamool Congress leader has invited 22 political parties to the meeting but ignored AIMIM. The presidential elections will take place on July 18 and the results will be declared on July 21. Like Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which is staying away from the meeting because of the invitation extended to the Congress party, AIMIM is also strongly opposed to sharing any platform with the Congress.

Mamata Banerjee has called a meeting of opposition parties on Wednesday (June 15) to discuss strategy for a joint opposition candidate for President. Yechury along with D. Raja of the CPI and P.C. Chacko of the NCP met Pawar where NCP leader Praful Patel was also present. After the meeting, Yechury said, "I have been informed that Sharad Pawar has refused to become a opposition candidate but have discussed some names and those are under considerations."

She has forwarded a letter to 22 leaders which include the chief ministers of different opposition-ruled states. The recipients of the letter include Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, among others.

Going by Trinamool Congress' numerical strength in the Assembly, the state government will have no problem in getting the proposed Bill passed with a comfortable majority. However, the state government will then have to send the Bill to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for his assent. State Education Minister Bratya Basu has already said that in case the Governor refuses to clear the Bill, the state government will pass an ordinance to bring the changed system into practice.

This is for the first time that the state government has taken such an initiative to break the protocol, persisting since Independence, of having the Governor as Chancellor of the state universities. Following the state cabinet meeting at the state Secretariat, Nabanna, Education Minister Bratya Basu said that the state government will bring a bill in the Assembly proposing that the Chief Minister, not the Governor, will be the Chancellor of the state universities.

While attending the special Namaz prayer at Kolkata's Red Road, the chief minister did not miss the opportunity to take jibes at the BJP. She said that West Bengal's culture of unity among different religions was a matter of envy for many and, especially, for those who are trying to divide the country on communal grounds.

After a resounding victory in the 2021 Assembly elections, the Bengal Chief Minister has spoken several times about uniting the various opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Therefore, this meeting is considered to be significant. Earlier, the two leaders had met in July 2021.

Speculations are rife on what observations Banerjee is likely to make at the event against the backdrop of so many orders of the Calcutta High Court - that have gone against the state government - for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiries on various issues. Highly placed sources from state Secretariat, Nabanna confirmed that the Chief Minister will be attending the conference, where issues like vacant posts is are impacting the progress of cases

Till the report was filed, there was to confirmation or denial from the Chief Minister on whether she has accepted the offer from the Governor. Quoting his letter to the Chief Minister, Shankhar tweeted: "WB Guv has urged CM Mamata Banerjee for interaction during the day in view of disturbing and unprecedented worrisome scenario in the precincts of High Court at Calcutta as also the recent spate of heinous crime against women and continual deteriorating law & order in the state."