Banerjee to meet Stalin, likely to discuss LS poll strategies

I see this as her attempt to try to restore her lost relevance in Indian politics. CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty too questioned Banerjees Chennai travel and called it an excuse to leave Bengal at a time when people are demonstrating demanding jobs.I dont see any logic behind a chief minister visiting the family programme of the governor on taxpayers money.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to hold a meeting with her Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin to discuss strategies for the 2024 Lok Sabha poll during her visit to the southern metropolis on November 2, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

Banerjee is traveling to Chennai on Wednesday as she has been invited by West Bengal Governor La Ganesan to his elder brother's birthday on November 3.

The Chief Minister, who is likely to stay a night in Chennai, may pay a visit to Stalin at his camp office on November 2 soon after reaching there, the official said.

The Trinamool Congress supremo may also meet several top politicians of Tamil Nadu who are expected to be present at Ganesan's family function, the official added.

Mamata Banerjee has in the past met several opposition leaders to try forge opposition unity.

She had at a mega rally of her party in September claimed that she would join hands with other opposition and regional leaders to defeat the BJP in 2024.

She had said at the rally held in Kolkata “All opposition parties will join hands to defeat the BJP. All of us will be on one side and the BJP on the other. The BJP’s arrogance of 300 seats will be its nemesis. There will be ‘Khela Hobe’ in 2024,” she said.

Opposition party leaders however questioned Banerjee's trip to Chennai on taxpayers' money to attend a family programme of a ''temporary' governor.

La Ganesan had taken up the additional charge of West Bengal on July 18, 2022, besides Manipur after Jagdeep Dhankhar was nominated the vice-presidential candidate by the NDA. Dhankar's term in office had been marked by spats with Banerjee. However, the chief minister and the new Governor have since made efforts to have a cordial relationship.

West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury described Banerjee's visit as ''Nothing but an attempt to restore her lost credentials in Indian politics''.

Chowdhury told PTI, ''I see no reason why Banerjee is going to Chennai to attend the birthday party of one of the family members of the governor. I think this is a ploy to develop a good relationship with the Centre so that West Bengal does not get another Jagdeep Dhankhar as its governor''.

On the proposed meeting between Banerjee and Stalin, who is also the DMK president, the Congress leader said, '' She had held several such meetings with many leaders earlier but those had failed miserably. This is the reason she planned this so-called meeting with Stalin. I see this as her attempt to try to restore her lost relevance in Indian politics.'' CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty too questioned Banerjee's Chennai travel and called it an ''excuse'' to leave Bengal at a time when people are demonstrating demanding jobs.

''I don't see any logic behind a chief minister visiting the family programme of the governor on taxpayers' money. She is actually escaping the state when job aspirants are holding demonstrations demanding employment,'' Chakraborty told PTI when contacted.

The School Service Commission scam, which rocked the state, saw nearly 100 aspirants demanding appointment in schools blocking a road in the Salt Lake area, in front of the commission’s office. They were later detained here on Tuesday. Demonstrators alleged that irregularities in the selection process denied them job opportunities despite passing a written exam. Former West Bengal Education minister Partha Chatterjee, a former SSC chairman, a former advisor and a former president of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education have been arrested by central agencies in connection with the High Court-monitored probe into irregularities in teacher appointment.

Senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha said,''She went to Goa, Tripura and Assam and she could nothing anywhere. The point is TMC has no relevance outside Bengal. She can roam around the country, but that will not yield any results.'' Banerjee, he said, must think about her party's business in Bengal before holding meetings with Stalin and others.