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Not only did the Congress fail in arresting the BJP juggernaut in Maharashtra, but stood second in its own alliance. In comparison, the Trinamool Congress swept the bypolls in West Bengal, retaining five seats and wresting Madarihat from the BJP
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called for the National Executive Committee meeting of the TMC on Monday evening to discuss the strategy for Winter Session of Parliament. (PTI/File)
Following the anti-climactic loss in Haryana, the poor performance in Maharashtra elections has further eroded Congress’s standing as the de-facto leader of the INDIA bloc, with the Trinamool Congress flexing muscles.
Not only did the Congress fail in arresting the BJP juggernaut in Maharashtra, but stood second in its own alliance. It won just 16 of the 101 seats it contested in the state, a dismal strike rate of 15.84%.
In comparison, the Trinamool Congress swept the bypolls in West Bengal, retaining five seats and wresting Madarihat from the BJP, further cementing its political dominance in the state. Its leaders didn’t forget to remind the Congress of the same, signalling growing unease within the alliance over grand old party’s ‘big brother’ status.
“Mamata Banerjee has blocked the BJP in every election. Hemant Soren has also stopped the BJP in Jharkhand. But in Maharashtra, they (Congress) could not stop the BJP. The Congress should analyse themselves. If it can happen in Bengal and Jharkhand, why did the Congress fail to stop the BJP in Haryana and Maharashtra? The Congress should analyse why it lost. Whenever the responsibility has fallen on Congress, it has been unable to stop the BJP,” said TMC general secretary Kunal Ghosh.
The Trinamool Congress is part of the INDIA bloc at the national level, but is not in a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress in the state.
“The Trinamool convincingly won all the six Assembly seats that went for bypolls. Other than the BJP, we were also facing two of the INDIA bloc parties, Congress and CPM, who put up candidates in every seat,” senior party leader Derek O’Brien said on Saturday.
Echoing his party colleagues, TMC leader Jayprakash Majumdar said: “The Congress needs to look into its organisation and policy more deeply, more meaningfully. The TMC and Mamata Banerjee are at the forefront of defeating the BJP.”
It would be interesting to see how the drubbing in Maharashtra affects Congress’s equations with INDIA bloc partners, particularly the TMC, when the Winter Session of Parliament commences on November 25, Monday.
Chief Minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee has called for the National Executive Committee meeting of the TMC at her residence on Monday evening. Sources say the gathering — which would comprise committee members Abhishek Banerjee, Derek O’Brien, Sudip Banerjee and Susmita Dev — will discuss the party’s Parliament strategy. It will also delve into the strategy for the West Bengal Assembly session and early preparations for the 2026 state elections.
