Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has suggested that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee should lead the opposition INDIA bloc, saying that without her, the “alliance will be gone”.
“Mamata Banerjee is the leader of this alliance. Along with her, there are two or four others who can achieve this position,” Aiyar was quoted as saying by NDTV in what might come across as a message to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.
These remarks came days after Aiyar, a veteran Congress leader, said last week that he was not a “Rahulian” because the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha is much younger than him and is distant in his political life.
“I hope that instead of trying to remain in this position, which belongs to smaller parties -be it Stalin, Mamata Didi, Akhilesh, Tejashwi, or someone else – Rahul Gandhi should let them handle it,” Aiyar told reporters on Sunday afternoon in Kolkata.
Kerala and now West Bengal
Last Monday, Aiyar sparked a political row when he spoke out against his party colleagues after his comments suggested that the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF would retain power in Kerala in the upcoming assembly polls. Congress had distanced itself from Aiyar’s remarks.
In a series of scathing remarks, Aiyar branded Thiruvananthapuram Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor an “unprincipled careerist”, labelled AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal a “rowdy”, and took a swipe at party veteran Ramesh Chennithala.
Aiyar also took aim at Pawan Khera, referring to the Congress national spokesperson as a “tattu” (pony). Aiyar was reacting when asked about a social media post by Khera, distancing the party from his remarks.
West Bengal Congress leaders responded to Aiyar’s praise for Mamata Banerjee.
“Let us make it clear in the beginning – for a long time, Mani Shankar Aiyar is no more attached with the activities of the Congress Party. Five Rajya Sabha seats from Bengal are vacant now. Was that a reason behind such a comment from Mani Shankar Aiyar? We wonder,” Congress state general secretary Suman Roy Chowdhury told NDTV.
Aiyar’s latest comments have certainly set the cat among the pigeons, especially with West Bengal and Kerala headed to the polls. As has happened in the past, Aiyar’s unfiltered, strategically timed remarks can stir the pot within the INDIA bloc and his own party.
Not the first leader
Aiyar is not the first leader to suggest the TMC chief should lead the Opposition’s bloc. In 2024, RJD chief and former Bihar chief minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, had extended support to Mamata Banerjee to take a leadership role in the opposition INDIA bloc.
“Congress’s objection means nothing. We will support Mamata… Mamata Banerjee should be given the leadership (of the INDIA bloc),” Yadav told news agency ANI on December 10, 2024.
Lalu’s support for the West Bengal Chief Minister comes two days after the Trinamool Congress raised the pitch for her to be the leader of the INDIA bloc. Party MP Kirti Azad said she is the ‘most suitable’ for the job as she is the only leader who has repeatedly defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in her state – West Bengal.
These suggestions came while questions were being raised about the future of the Opposition group following a string of debilitating electoral losses.
Mamata Banerjee is the leader of this alliance. Without her, the alliance will be gone.
Many leaders of the grouping appeared to agree to hand over the leadership role to the WB CM. Some, however, indicated that a decision would be taken later.
“Yes, certainly. She is a prominent leader of this nation… she has that capability. The elected leaders she sent to Parliament are responsible, dutiful, and well-aware people. Therefore, she has the right to say so,” NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had said in 2024.
