BENGALURU: After making its foray into the political landscape in poll-bound Goa, speculation is rife that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) eyeing Karnataka which is due for Assembly polls in 2023. Though former minister M B Patil brushed aside as a pack of lies the media reports which claimed that Prashant Kishor had approached him on behalf of the TMC, murmurs were still doing the rounds.
Sources confirmed that a prominent leader, who frequently appears on state and national television, was approached by two senior leaders of the TMC with the promise of a prominent position in the new state unit proposed to be established by the TMC. The leader, however, is said to have remained non-committal.
A senior Congress leader who is holding a party position, confirmed that Prashant Kishor was indeed in touch with Congress leaders and that he was aware of it, but did not want to speak out on the issue right now. It is reliably learnt that some key leaders were approached by Prashant Kishore. Sources said that a political manager, who is a Legislative Council member, is on the TMC radar as the party is scouting for such leaders.
The TMC, which looked to be closely allied with the Congress till the West Bengal elections, has of late been baring its fangs against the Congress. The party has been going hammer and tongs against the Congress in Goa and a similar strategy appears to be in the works for Karnataka too. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, who was in Mumbai to meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday, even went to the extent of saying that the UPA is a thing of the past.