Mamata should lead opposition instead of Rahul Gandhi, says Trinamool paper

Trinamool Congress's party mouthpiece in West Bengal 'Jaago Bangla' has sparked a new controversy by saying that the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has got several opportunities to emerge as an alternative to PM Modi but has failed to do so. The statement comes at a time when the opposition parties are trying to form a unified front against BJP before the 2024 General Election.

The Trinamool paper also suggested that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should take the space as a potential alternative to PM Modi. However, the Congress party of West Bengal has "strongly opposed" this statement and claimed that this will only help BJP.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that the party is not trying to discard the Congress and is only saying Mamata Banerjee could be the possible opposition face to counter Modi.

Senior TMC leader and MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay were also quoted by the paper suggesting that the country needs a better alternative. He added that he has known Rahul Gandhi for years and is forced to say he never emerged as a potential candidate.

State Congress president and Lok Sabha member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused Mamata Banerjee of demeaning other parties while claiming that the entire opposition should be united. He went on to say that the BJP would relish the divisions among the Opposition, as it would increase the party's dominance.

To this, Mr Ghosh responded that TMC never humiliated the Congress and is not wanting a coalition without them. He also pointed out that Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee are the only two Indian politicians that made it to Time magazine's list.

According to West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh, no one reads Jaago Bangla, and the TMC is printing its own leader as the PM, but the people will decide. Mamata Banerjee, according to Ranjan Chowdhury, is positioning herself as a prime ministerial contender, as Narendra Modi did prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.