CM blames Cong for INDIA’s failure to secure LS 2024 win
Times of India | 30 January 2025
12 Kolkata: In a book released on Tuesday, CM Mamata Banerjee blamed Congress for INDIA's failure and BJP's win in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. "Before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, we sincerely wanted there to be a united opposition against BJP pan-India, and in it, all opposition parties who are the strongest in their respective zones lead the alliance fight in those places to defeat the BJP," she wrote in ‘Banglar Nirbachan o Amra (Bengal's Elections and Us)'.
"Before the INDIA alliance was formed, multiple meetings were held in Delhi, and meetings were later also held in Mumbai and Bengaluru. I from day one pressed for an alternative face (as the leader), a joint manifesto, and a common minimum programme. In fact, in the Bengaluru meeting, I proposed that the alliance be named INDIA. In fact, the alliance president was made from Congress so that there is no hesitation in their (Congress) mind," Banerjee wrote.
The CM then listed ways Congress failed to lead INDIA. She wrote, "But we noticed there was no common minimum programme. There was no joint manifesto either. People started to fight against each other. It was our failure that helped BJP return to office, that too without a majority of its own. Suddenly, vote percentages were upwardly revised two days after the elections."
Banerjee referred to a political paradox vis-à-vis Congress. "Those parties opposed to BJP did not find any difficulty (to contest together) at the state level. Those who failed to lead INDIA (she did not name Congress here) should always remember that the seats they won were primarily because of seat adjustments with other opposition parties. They could never have achieved this on their own. Whether it is Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh or Jharkhand, Congress has only gained from coalition politics," she said.
According to her, Trinamool Congress's electoral success in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls was because of spontaneous public support inspired by different developmental activities undertaken by her govt. Trinamool improved its tally to 29 from 22 in 2019. On the other hand, BJP's tally in Bengal declined to 12 from 18 in the same period. Congress managed to win one seat, while CPM-led Left Front ended with zero in the state.