The political landscape in India is abuzz with speculation as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee prepares for a potential visit to Delhi. Today, she may travel to the capital with her party’s parliamentary leader, Abhishek Banerjee, to attend a crucial meeting with the Trinamool Congress parliamentary team at the New Bengal Bhavan. Following this, Banerjee is expected to engage in a media interaction over tea with journalists, raising anticipation about her stance on the upcoming Niti Aayog meeting scheduled for Saturday.
This Niti Aayog meeting marks the first under the third Modi government, leading to questions about whether Banerjee will participate. The chief ministers from the INDIA alliance, a coalition of opposition parties, have indicated a collective decision to boycott the meeting in protest against the central government’s policies. Notably, Congress has already announced that its chief ministers—Siddaramaiah from Karnataka, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu from Himachal Pradesh, and K. Chandrashekar Rao from Telangana—will not attend, echoing the sentiments of other opposition leaders.
Mamata Banerjee’s potential attendance remains a matter of speculation. While her party initially suggested she might join the meeting, the current political climate has left many wondering about her final decision. Observers note that Banerjee appears to be caught in a dilemma, weighing her loyalty to the INDIA alliance against her responsibilities as West Bengal’s chief minister.
Other opposition leaders, including DMK’s M.K. Stalin from Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren from the JMM-Congress coalition, have confirmed their absence, further emphasizing the unity among opposition states in avoiding the meeting. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal remains incarcerated, leaving the opposition’s strategy under the INDIA banner in a precarious state.
Political analyst Manoj Chakraborty pointed out that while other chief ministers have taken a clear stand against attending the meeting, Banerjee’s hesitance suggests she is still weighing her options. This unfolding situation highlights the delicate balance of power and alliances in Indian politics, with Banerjee’s decision poised to impact not only her political future but also the dynamics within the opposition coalition.
