Ahead of 2019 general elections, Mamata Banerjee finds herself stuck
Mamata Banerjee is currently stuck between a rock and a hard place. With the CPI(M)’s 22nd Party Congress giving a green light to a possible tactical electoral understanding with the Congress, and the latter counting on such an opportunity as the proverbial straw to keep the UPA platform floating, Mamata is feeling a bit cornered.
She publicly said she won’t tolerate the two-faced policy of the Congress — on the one hand the Congress will beg for her (Trinamool Congress) support to help its party candidates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Pradip Bhattacharjee win Rajya Sabha berths, while the party in Bengal will team up with other opponents — BJP and CPI(M) — to challenge and embarrass her government in court.
It’s not that Mamata is too keen on jumping into the UPA bandwagon, especially with Rahul Gandhi handling the rudder, but if the Congress-led UPA manages to have more numbers in the Lok Sabha, and so generates more enthusiasm among other political parties, the third alternative platform — a Federal Front the TMC chief is planning — might fall through.
In that case, Mamata will either have to join hands with the Congress or tread her solitary path. As it is, new political combinations are in the offing, with the Left keeping options open to keep the BJP out of power.
Sitaram Yechury’s re-election as general secretary of the CPI(M) has brought good cheer across all political parties. Indications are strong that under Sitaram the party will be more flexible and "secular".
However, Sitaram had been steering clear of direct hand-holding with the Congress, with many disagreements within the party yet to be smoothened out. His good relations with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are well-known, so much so that Sitaram called Sonia the "glue that binds the Congress and the alliance of other secular parties in the country".
His faith in Rahul was amply acknowledged when Rahul wanted to push Sitaram to the Upper House with the Congress’ support, provided the latter’s party agreed to it. For the Congress, getting support from the Left — even from outside — means a lot. Especially when the Trinamool, with almost three dozen Lok Sabha seats from West Bengal, is pushing for a front independent of UPA and NDA.
The Congress is hoping to have good numbers on its own in 2019. But in case that fails, it will try scouting for new friends. The Left may not pitch in enough numbers, but it has a face to lend, which will be far more credible and acceptable as a prime ministerial candidate. “Leaders who are questioning Rahul’s credibility might not have any second thoughts if the Congress thinks of opting for Sitaram, the way Jyoti Basu’s name was proposed,” said poll analyst Biswanath Chakrabarty.
But here’s the catch: Like Jyoti Basu, the CPI(M) might make another "historic blunder" and not allow the most eligible person to take the chair. But the speculation of Sitaram being considered for the prime minister’s post is giving Mamata jitters. Her ambition of “Bengal leading the country” might not come to fruition, as indicated by the Congress and CPI(M) coming together. With the Congress having already secured “tactical support” from the Left, whatever the two understand by it, the UPA is all set to stand as a principal contender to the BJP-led NDA, according to Rahul.
Many who are on board with Mamata about ousting the BJP from power, have already begun to question the need of another platform as it means further split of Opposition votes. Mamata has already sounded that the Congress is not dependable. She has reservations about Rahul, and now that Rahul and Sitaram might join forces, there’s little space for her political ambition in that UPA-Left-from outside ambit. Her pleas to the Left to join her in the Front have been turned down. She’s flying to Delhi to be a part of the meeting with PM Narendra Modi.
(Courtesy of Mail Today)