Before her Delhi visit, Mamata Banerjee said that she would meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, and other leaders. However, she was not able to meet Sharad. On the last day, Mamata said, “Although, I did not meet Sharadji in person, I spoke to him on the phone.”
Earlier, TMC sources had said that Mamata would visit the homes of Congress leaders Sonia and Sharad. The rest of the meetings were held on South Avenue. Prashant Kishor also held several meetings with Sharad last month.
Sharad came to the Constitution Club in Delhi on 21 July, Martyrs’ Day, accompanied by his daughter Supriya Sule. But Mamata had gone to Sonia’s house at that time. Among other opposition leaders, she met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi.
There is a lot of speculation in the political camp around why Mamata did not meet Sharad? Is it to send a message to the opposition political camp in Delhi?
According to sources, there were rumours in various camps after Sharad’s recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Is he trying to be close to PM Modi for the presidency? Is that why Mamata came to Delhi and wanted to give a message without meeting him? NCP sources, however, said that Sharad had met the Prime Minister to express his concerns over the newly formed Union Cooperatives Ministry. It is useless to look for anything else in that meeting.
According to political sources, Mamata and her party aim to reach an undisputed position in opposition politics after losing the BJP by a landslide and becoming the Chief Minister for the third time. Earlier, TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay had said, “We will not compromise on the heights that Mamata Banerjee has reached today by fighting the BJP. Not with any team.”
Another TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee had said that Mamata is the no.1 Opposition leader in the country. People have confidence that if there is a face to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then it is her. In the last month, Sharad has been seen to be active in various opposition alliance-building exercises. The Rashtra Manch meeting was held by Sharad with the leaders of six political parties. On the other hand, Sharad was seen with Lalu Prasad in Delhi. Since Mamata and Sharad are political heavyweights and contenders for leadership, it has been speculated that both sides are waiting to see what the other person does. Mamata kept her door open and was free to sit and talk with anyone.
Many think that instead of coming to Delhi and meeting Sharad, Mamata wanted to convey the message that she is the link between the different parties at the moment.
That is why Mamata said that she can come to Delhi every two months.
Mamata claimed that all the purposes for which she came to Delhi have been successful. But in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,
Mamata tactfully avoided questions about the opposition coalition that is being speculated. However, calling for unity among the opposition, she said, “Opposition must be united to save the country’s democracy.”
