Bagdogra (West Bengal) [India], June 7 : West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul on Sunday said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is in disarray under former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's leadership, while also claiming that key Opposition parties, including Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), will skip the meeting tomorrow.
Speaking to the media, Paul said the TMC is in shambles and out of Mamata Banerjee's control. She added that Banerjee is going to New Delhi to create "a commotion", while questioning the relevance of the INDIA bloc, noting that CPI-M General Secretary MA Baby had already written to Congress over allegations of a CPI-M-BJP understanding.
"The TMC is in shambles. The original TMC party is out of Mamata Banerjee's hands. She is going to Delhi to again create commotion. Where is the INDIA alliance? CPI-M General Secretary, M A Baby, has already written a letter to Congress, which has been alleging that CPI-M and BJP are together under the table. Baby's allegation is, "Why are you calling us for the INDIA alliance meet when you have put this allegation on us?" So they aren't going. DMK is not participating. Lalu Prasad is sick; he is not going. The INDIA alliance has been completely sidelined and discarded by the people of the nation," she said.
The remarks come amid tensions within the opposition bloc following MA Baby's letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ahead of the INDIA bloc meeting.
In his letter, Baby raised concerns over allegations made by Congress leaders during the Keralam Assembly elections that CPI-M and BJP had struck a deal. He said the claims "strike at the very basis of the unity forged against the BJP," noting that hundreds of CPI-M cadres were martyred fighting the RSS-BJP and that Keralam had remained riot-free during LDF rule.
Baby also questioned Rahul Gandhi's repeated calls for Enforcement Directorate (ED) action against former Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, asking whether such remarks could be considered anti-BJP or an invitation for punitive action by the PM Modi government.
"Unless these matters are clarified, the very purpose of the INDIA bloc would be in question," he wrote.
The INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi is expected to bring together leaders of multiple opposition parties, including the AITC, to discuss post-election strategy following the recently concluded Assembly polls in four states and one Union Territory. However, DMK has already announced it will skip the meeting, citing Congress's post-poll support to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) as a "betrayal."
Meanwhile, the TMC is witnessing internal turmoil following the rebellion of 58 MLAs supporting expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee. Reports suggest up to 20 Lok Sabha MPs may also break away from the party. In response, TMC has announced a leadership shuffle, with Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen appointed as Joint Secretaries at the national level and Chandrima Bhattacharya taking over state leadership responsibilities from the unwell Subrata Bakshi.