Amid reports of Bihar Chief Minister
Nitish Kumar exiting the INDIA bloc and rejoining the BJP-led NDA, West Bengal counterpart
and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee dubbed his exit as “good
riddance” for the Opposition alliance, an insider quoted her off-camera
conversations with journalists and close aides during a Republic Day
celebration event at Raj Bhavan on Friday.
The insider conveyed Mamata Banerjee believe
the Nitish Kumar-led Government has been facing anti-incumbency and this factor
“would have cost the alliance”. Her comment is supported by her initial
opposition to his appointment as convener of the alliance owing to her doubts
about Nitish Kumar’s commitment to the Opposition bloc.
As per the insider, the TMC chief’s views
were endorsed by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav
Thackeray and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav.
Mamata mentioned, “It will not be a loss
for the RJD-Congress. Had they fought in alliance with the JDU, they wouldn’t
have got more than six or seven seats (out of the 40 in Bihar).”
It is ambiguity that a Mamata-Nitish meeting
had set the stage for the INDIA grouping creation, which held its first meeting
with the Bihar CM as the host in Patna.
Mamata expressed despite the U-turn taken
by Nitish Kumar, she “will always fight the BJP” irrespective of the outcome of
the situation.
The Bengal CM reiterated she wasn’t informed
about the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’s schedule for the State. However, in a
lighter vein, Mamata reportedly said she would offer tea to Rahul Gandhi if
they come face to face during the Yatra.
On seat sharing with the Congress in
Bengal, she mentioned, “We had offered them two seats even before the first
meetings of the alliance took place, but I was told they had rejected the
proposal… and in case the alliance does not work, the onus lies solely on them –
they are responsible.”
