NEW DELHI :West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent remarks about leading the opposition “India Bloc” have triggered a flurry of reactions from allies within the alliance. Speaking to a news channel on Friday, Ms Banerjee expressed disappointment about the alliance’s leadership and coordination. “I had formed the India Bloc, now it is up to those leading the front to manage it. If they cannot run it, what can I do? All I will say is that everyone should be taken along,” she said.

When asked why she did not take charge of the bloc herself, Ms Banerjee said, “If given a chance, I will ensure its smooth functioning. I do not want to go out of West Bengal, but I can run it from here.
” Ms Banerjee’s comments have fuelled speculation about the possibility of her leading the India Bloc. Following this, Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Kunal Ghosh gave a clarification and denied that Mamata Banerjee wanted leadership for personal ambition. “She did not say anything like that, she said she has founded the India Alliance and it is a necessary front against the BJP. Her priority is West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has no desire for the chair in Delhi. If the India Block demands leadership from her, she will do so from Kolkata only,” Mr Ghosh said. Several prominent leaders of the allies expressed their opinion on Ms Banerjee’s statements.
“I don’t know what she means, there was just one meeting of the India Alliance after the exit polls came out. This is a fact, but we should understand what the objective of the India Block is. ‘Save the country, remove the BJP’. This was a common resolve. The issue is that the situation is not the same in every state,” said CPI(M) leader D Raja. Congress, seen as the largest party in the India Alliance, reacted cautiously to Ms Banerjee’s comments. Congress leader TS Singhdeo said, “She has her own opinion and intentions. Mamata Banerjee is a member of the India Bloc. Whatever talks will take place, it is natural that everyone will sit together and decide.” Congress leader Rashid Alvi pointed to the need for consensus within the alliance.
“Nitish Kumar also expressed his desire to lead the India Bloc. But leadership decisions in such an alliance are not taken unilaterally. It requires consensus and consultation among all members. The bloc will collectively decide who will lead. If there is a president, who will be that person. It is natural for leaders to aspire to lead, but such decisions are not about personal ambitions.”
Congress MP Tariq Anwar echoed this sentiment, saying, “India Bloc is an alliance of several parties, and leadership decisions will be taken collectively.” Another Congress MP Tanuj Punia said these decisions should be discussed with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. He said, “The matter should be discussed with the Leader of Opposition and the party’s national president. It is not a matter to debate in the media. If Mamata Banerjee has any suggestion, it should be put up for discussion among all member parties and decisions will be taken accordingly.”
While All India Congress and CPI(M) expressed caution, Samajwadi Party leader Udaiveer Singh supported Ms Banerjee. “She is a senior leader, she has a lot of experience. She is competent. Our party has good relations with her and we trust her leadership. The alliance leaders should decide together what should be done. If such a decision is taken, we will support it,” Singh said. Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav, who is also Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle, took a dig at the Congress’ performance in the elections but said the alliance should continue.
“Be it Lok Sabha or state elections, the Congress has not been able to perform well. In Himachal Pradesh, where they have a government, they lost all four seats. Similarly in Karnataka they lost half the seats in the Lok Sabha elections. In Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh they got no seats. It is normal that there will be discussions among people about a possible change in the India Alliance. India Bloc is there and will remain there.”
The TMC’s dominance in West Bengal has strengthened its position within the India Alliance. Victories in recent by-elections, including defeating the BJP, have strengthened Mamata Banerjee’s image as an anti-BJP force. However, internal differences within the bloc and criticism over coordination have raised questions about its effectiveness. On this, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee recently urged the Congress and other allies of the India Bloc to put aside egos and recognize Ms Banerjee as the leader of the alliance.

The India Alliance, which comprises more than two dozen opposition parties, was formed to counter the dominance of the BJP. However, internal divisions and competing ambitions of its leaders posed challenges, which were reflected in the election results in the states.

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