Mamata Dropped Non-Congress Third Front Plan After Meeting Nitish: JDU Leader

After criticising Congress at every given opportunity in the last few years, West Bengal Chief Minister made a surprising announcement recently that the TMC would support the grand old party in about 200 Lok Sabha seats.

JDU senior leader KC Tyagi has now said that she dropped the third front plan after her meeting with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"Mamata Banerjee has given up the intention of forming a non-Congress third front before the 2024 elections. She said this in her meeting with Nitish Kumar. When Nitish Kumar met Mamata Banerjee, she appeared positive about forming a united opposition front," NDTV quoted KC Tyagi as stating in an interview.

He said that she now agrees with Nitish's formula that opposition parties should pitch 'one-against-one' candidates against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

"Mamata Banerjee had said that a meeting of opposition leaders should be called in Patna. Bihar was a symbol of change in the centre when JP's (Jayaprakash Narayan) movement started. Mamata Banerjee's idea of forming a non-Congress third front regarding KCR and Arvind Kejriwal has changed," he stated.

Her announcement came days after Congress registered a resounding victory in Karnataka Assembly polls. In the last few years, she was against the idea of Congress taking the central role in the Opposition alliance.

"People are demoralised and frustrated... people are antagonised....the economy is ruined. Democratic rights are being bulldozed. Even the wrestlers are also not spared. So in this situation, I think whoever is strong in a particular region, should fight together. In Bengal, we (TMC) should fight...in Delhi, AAP should fight," the Bengal CM said.

According to her, Congress was strong on about 200 Lok Sabha seats and the party was willing to extend support in those seats.

"In Bihar, Nitishji, Tejashwi, some part Congress is there, they will decide, I cannot decide on their formula. Wherever regional party is very strong, so you see...Bihar, Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Punjab, the strong party must be given priority. Wherever Congress is strong in their respective 200 seats or something. Let them fight, we will give support, nothing is wrong (in that). But they (Congress) have to support the other political parties also. I am giving you the support in Karnataka. But, you are fighting against me every day - it should not be the policy," she added.