Kolkata: A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dismissed the possibility of an alliance with Congress for the 2026 assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut advised her to keep communication open with the party.
On Monday, Banerjee attributed the Opposition’s defeat in Delhi and Haryana to the lack of coordination between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress. She declared that TMC would contest alone in West Bengal and secure a two-thirds majority in the 294-seat assembly.
Sanjay Raut acknowledged that TMC has traditionally contested elections independently but emphasized Congress’ significant role in the INDIA bloc. He urged Banerjee to maintain discussions with Congress, despite her current stance.
A TMC minister, present at the internal meeting, quoted Banerjee as saying that Congress failed to support AAP in Delhi, and AAP did not assist Congress in Haryana, making alliances ineffective. She reiterated that Congress lacks presence in Bengal.
Additionally, Banerjee cautioned her party leaders against internal conflicts and warned of BJP’s alleged attempts to manipulate voter lists by including foreign nationals.
In a surprising statement, Banerjee asserted, “I have no personal family; the party and the people are my family.” She also announced a structural revamp within TMC, directing MLAs to submit three names for new office-bearers by February 25.
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