NEW DELHI: Indicating a rethink on her part following the Congress formidable victory in the Karnataka assembly polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that her party will consider supporting the Congress wherever the latter is in a stronger position in the Lok Sabha election scheduled to be held next year. So far, the TMC and the Congress did not seem to have an understanding on the issue of forging a common front against the BJP.
Speaking to reporters at Kolkata on Monday, the TMC supremo said, “Wherever the Congress is strong, let them fight. We will give them support. There is nothing wrong in that”. The West Bengal CM has clarified her stand on the issue after years of antipathy towards the Grand Old Party.
Notably, efforts are being made by leaders such as Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to forge Opposition unity to take on the BJP’s juggernaut in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The statement by Banerjee West Bengal CM comes close on the heels of a meeting held by Kumar in Kolkata with her.
However, she also said that the Congress has to back other parties to get support in the Lok Sabha election.
She also hinted that that she expects the seat-sharing formula giving priority to regional parties in areas where they are strong and in deciding the position from an electoral point of view. She categorically said, “Strong regional parties must be given priority”.
A couple of days ago, she had posted a significant tweet following the declaration of the assembly election results in Karnataka. “My salutation to the people of Karnataka for their decisive mandate in favour of change!” Mamata had said in a tweet.