The Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, hit back at the Congress, saying the grand old party “cannot take them lightly”. Undermining the chances of a united opposition, the TMC on Wednesday dropped its opposition protest on the Adani issue. The latest reaction from TMC has widened the rift between TMC and Congress which is definitely a blow to those who are hoping to form a united opposition to fight the mighty BJP.
TMC sources said the leadership is miffed over Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s comments on TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
On Wednesday, the TMC did not sign a joint opposition letter sent to Enforcement Directorate director SK Mishra, urging the probe agency to launch a probe into the Adani group on allegations of corrupt practices including money laundering through shell companies Was. It also did not participate in the opposition’s march to the ED office.
“Congress cannot take us lightly. On one hand its senior leaders are alleging that there is a Mamata-Modi-Adani link, on the other hand it is expecting us to stand by them. There is no one to comment.” A senior TMC leader said, he is the current leader of the party in the House.
While the TMC did not name the Congress leader, Chowdhary made a statement against Banerjee during the recent bypoll in Sagardighi, West Bengal, where the Congress handed the ruling party a crushing defeat.
Another leader said the TMC is aware of the strain that the differences between the two biggest opposition parties are putting on opposition unity and the negative optics created by it.
“We are in touch with other non-Congress political parties. We have kept other like-minded parties in the loop,” he added.
Sources said the party has reached out to most opposition parties like AAP, CPIM, Shiv Sena and southern parties and informed them about the decision not to sign the ED’s letter and not be part of the protest march.
He also said that it has conveyed its stand to the Congress and the need to “control” Chowdhury.
Sources said that even within the Congress, barring leaders from West Bengal, people from other parts of the country are uncomfortable with his recent comments.
“It shows how the Congress party is looking at opposition unity. The leader of the party in the Lok Sabha has given the statement. Congress has to decide whether you are going to be a like-minded party and work with us. are or not.” said a senior TMC leader.