New Delhi: The widening rift and leadership tussle in the INDIA bloc came to the limelight yet again as RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav became the latest leader to support West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo, Mamata Banerjee to lead the opposition alliance.
Ever since Banerjee evinced interest in leading the bloc last week, several non-Congress parties have supported her. Among the first ones to endorse her pitch were Samajwadi Party, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasahaeb Thackeray) leaders. Even Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP has backed her pitch. “We will support Mamta Banerjee. She should be allowed to head the INDIA bloc,” the former Bihar Chief Minister, Lalu Prasad, said as quoted by India Today, adding that Congress’ opposition would not make any difference.
.@laluprasadrjd is with @MamataOfficial ✨
I.N.D.I.A Wants MamataDi 🔥🔥#IndiaWantsMamataDi@abhishekaitc pic.twitter.com/o1a9OC1dhK
— Vidyanand kumar (@VidyanandAITC) December 10, 2024
Earlier, Lalu Yadav’s son and senior RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had also stated that he had ‘no objection’ to Mamata leading the Opposition alliance. However, he had emphasized that the decision must be reached through consensus.
YSRCP had also joined the growing chorus for Mamata leading the INDIA Bloc. What’s interesting to note is that YSRCP was once perceived close to the BJP until it was defeated by the NDA in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls.
“Mamta Banerjee is an ideal candidate to lead the INDIA alliance as she has the required political and electoral experience to head an alliance. Didi is also the CM of a large state with 42 Lok Sabha seats and has proven herself time and again,” YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP Vijayasai Reddy had posted on X.
Meanwhile, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee asked Congress to set aside its ego and make Mamata the chief of INDIA bloc.
“Congress needs to understand that under its leadership, the INDIA bloc has failed. If Mamata Banerjee becomes the leader, it will be much better. The alliance needs a leader… Mamata Banerjee knows how to fight political battles. Congress should set aside its ego. Congress removed Mamata Banerjee from its fold due to its ego, and now look at how Mamata Banerjee is doing politics,” he said, as quoted by India Today.
