With high profile meetings in Maharashtra, is Mamata seeking national alliance?

File pic/AFP

In a seeming attempt at pan-national expansion or alliance with "like minded-parties" ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee is on a visit to Mumbai where she is meeting top NCP, Shiv Sena leaders.

In an indication that the TMC was trying to initiate a national level coalition to defeat the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party government, the TMC chief met Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday.

Mamata is also scheduled to meet NCP President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday at his residence 'Silver Oak' in Mumbai.

She had recently also spoken about Opposition unity to fight the BJP government at the Centre.

However, the TMC chief has not yet met any Congress leader in Maharashtra. It is believed to be an indication that the TMC would like the play the leading role in bringing the opposition parties together in a possible national coalition against the BJP. The TMC is expanding pan-India and the biggest loser seems to be the Congress, escalating a Cold War between the two.

Mamata had visited New Delhi recently. With the poaching of Congress leaders in full swing, the TMC chief did not meet the interim president Sonia Gandhi.

Congress received a major jolt in Meghalaya after 12 of its MLAs out of 17 joined Trinamool Congress, making it the state's main Opposition. One of the prominent figures of the new entrants includes former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma.

TMC has witnessed a steady stream of leaders joining its ranks after quitting from Congress in the last few months.

In September, former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro joined TMC after resigning from the primary membership of Congress. Following Faleiro shift, nine other leaders from Congress also joined TMC, sources had informed.

Congress MP from Assam's Silchar and ex-president of All India Mahila Congress, Sushmita Dev had joined the TMC in August this year. She has been assigned to look after TMC's affairs in Tripura.

Moreover, Luizinho Faleiro and Sushmita Dev both were awarded Rajya Sabha seats after joining TMC.

Ahead of the 2022 Goa assembly polls, North Goa Congress Seva Dal Chief Ulhas Vaskar and Shiv Sena Block President (Ponda) Vinod Borkar joined the TMC on October 21.

Congress leader Kirti Azad and former Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar also recently joined TMC. Tanwar was once a close aide of Rahul Gandhi.

Two senior Congress leaders of Uttar Pradesh had joined TMC in October including Rajeshpati Tripathi and Lalitpati Tripathi.

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