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The rift in the opposition camp widened as RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav became the latest leader to back West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to lead the INDIA bloc. The leadership tussle in the dispirited opposition camp comes at a time when Congress has been left licking its wounds following the debacle in Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly polls after an impressive Lok Sabha show.
Ever since Mamata Banerjee set off a churn by evincing interest in leading the INDIA bloc last week, several non-Congress parties have closed ranks behind her, including Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP. The Samajwadi Party, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasahaeb Thackeray) leaders were quick to endorse her pitch.
Lalu Prasad Yadav also lent his weight to Mamata Banerjee’s demand, further queering the pitch for Congress. “We will support Mamta Banerjee. She should be allowed to head the INDIA bloc,” the former Bihar Chief Minister said.
Asked about the Congress’s “reservation” to Mamata Banerjee’s demand, Lalu Yadav said the party’s objection doesn’t matter. “The Congress’s opposition will not make any difference,” he said.
Earlier, Lalu Yadav’s son and senior RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also said he had “no objection” to Banerjee leading the coalition, but stressed that the decision must be reached through consensus.
Interestingly, the YSRCP, which was perceived to be close to the BJP till it was routed by the NDA in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls, also joined the growing chorus to hand over the INDIA bloc leadership to Mamata Banerjee.
“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,” tweeted YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP Vijayasai Reddy.
The move is being seen as Jagan Reddy cosying up to the opposition alliance after failing to curry favour with the BJP.
Boosted by support from a growing number of regional parties, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee asked Congress to set aside its ego and make Mamata Banerjee the INDIA bloc chief.
“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.
