By Rahil Nora Chopra
Calling for a broader Opposition mobilisation over the SIR row, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee urged INDIA bloc leaders to think beyond their egos, saying extraordinary situations call for extraordinary action to fight the BJP and its machinations. At the meeting, as many as 20 INDIA bloc parties finalised a joint action plan, including rallies and save democracy marches. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee endorsed Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi as the face of the Opposition alliance, telling leaders at the INDIA bloc meeting that she would never oppose if Rahul Gandhi were to become the Prime Minister. Her remarks, however, were promptly received with a note of caution from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who said the interaction was not meant to discuss leadership positions but to forge a united response to the challenges facing the country. Mamata proposed that the INDIA bloc should reach out to other groups and political parties as well. She added that she had spoken to the BJD and that they too expressed their concern on the need to fight what she described as the sabotaging of democracy. Mamata said her party Trinamool Congress had opposed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls while claiming that the Election Commission has centralised the entire election process, including EVM management, polling and counting processes while raising questions over a fire that destroyed around 4,000 EVMs in South Kolkata in June and accused the BJP of masterminding it.
WEST BENGAL CONGRESS LEADER ADHIR CHOUDHURY ASKS MAMATA TO RETURN TO CONGRESS
After TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee attended the INDIA Bloc meeting in New Delhi, where she was observed sharing moments of bonhomie with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary asked Mamata Banerjee to rejoin Congress as she had left the party 28 years ago to form the Trinamool Congress. Adhir Ranjan Choudhary said “I want to tell Ms. Banerjee that without Congress, your political life will be over. That is why she needs to be pragmatic. That is why she took a practical decision and attended the INDIA bloc meeting. So, I want to tell her, do not complicate things and directly join Congress,” Chowdhury, a known bete noire of Mamata Banerjee, also said that the Congress was always ready to accept her leadership in the state. The developments come as the TMC faces one of its deepest organisational crises since its formation following the West Bengal assembly election results, with separate rebellions emerging in its legislative and parliamentary wings.
FORMER OLYMPIAN PARGAT SINGH IS NEW PUNJAB STATE CONGRESS PRESIDENT
Amid growing infighting within the Punjab Congress, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring raised questions over state Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot’s possible role in his removal, while making it clear that he had no concrete evidence to support his suspicion. Warring said he briefed Gandhi about his four-and-a-half-year tenure and discussed the strengths of Congress in Punjab in light of the upcoming elections. When asked if he had been asked to resign, he said that this was not a tradition in Congress. “No one has asked me to resign. Rahul ji had appointed me as state president so I have submitted my resignation to him. Now I am a former president. Rahul ji showed great love and affection to me when he met me,” said Warring. Meanwhile, former Olympian and Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh has been appointed as the new president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), replacing Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. With the 2027 Assembly elections just months away, the change is being considered on the basis of a ground report submitted by Congress general secretary in charge of Punjab affairs Sachin Pilot following his recent visit to the state and meetings with party leaders in Delhi.
SP PRESIDENT AKHILESH YADAV CALLS BJP RULE AT CENTRE AND STATE AS A SORT OF EMERGENCY
Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the people of the country and the state are presently going through a period of BJP Emergency, describing it as a period of oppression against the PDA (Backward, Dalit, Minority). Regarding the fielding of an industrialist in the Rajya Sabha polls, Akhilesh Yadav reiterated that the Samajwadi Party’s influence should also put its shadow on the corporate world. He said that for the state’s development, corporate investment, along with government investment, is necessary. Meanwhile, the SP president welcomed and honoured the Lokrantrik Senani (democracy freedom fighters) at the state party office. He said that Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) had initiated a pension for Loktrantrik Senani, which would be further hiked if the SP government was formed.
CONGRESS PRESIDENT MALLIKARJUN KHARGE WANTS BALLOT PAPERS TO REPLACE EVM
The INDIA bloc has renewed its call for voting through ballot papers amid the ongoing row over the Election Commission’s functioning and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are machines as controlled by BJP and it decides to use as per its needs and the Opposition cannot allow the ruling party to use it any more as he put emphasize on going back to ballot paper to restore faith and confidence in India’s electoral system. After two Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi questioned his very integrity and intentions, Kharge said a totally exposed, Kumar should resign from the post if he has Constitutional or moral shame left in him and turn approver against the powers who are interfering in the electoral rolls. He also questioned the selection process of CECs and ECs and the immunity provided to them in a 2023 law. (IPA Service)
