Bhubaneswar: Expert Luis Rubio had earlier said, “for politicians, nothing is more important than timing. An announcement can have dramatic effects, depending on the moment that they are undertaken.” West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, a maverick politician who has her finger on the politics of timing, dropped a big statement on Friday that stirred up a big debate on the political landscape.
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WHAT MAMTA SAID?
Speaking to a news channel Friday, WB CM Banerjee said, "I had formed the INDIA bloc, now it is up to those leading the front to manage it. If they can't run the show, what can I do? I would just say that everyone needs to be taken along."
When asked why she is not taking the charge of the bloc, she stated, "If given the opportunity I would ensure its smooth functioning. I don't want to go outside West Bengal, but I can run it from here."
A glance at Mamata Banerjee’s statements shows the following.
- She claimed herself the mother of INDI Alliance
- The current leader in charge is unable to run the alliance perfectly
- All partners in INDI bloc are not taken into confidence.
- She is interested and ready to lead the INDI Alliance
- Will run the show from her home turf West Bengal.
THE REACTION: SPLIT WIDE OPEN?
When Banerjee’s ‘ready to lead INDI alliance’ statement had stoked a widespread debate over her personal ambition, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh had come forward to present a clarification.
Ghosh said, "She never said anything like this, she said she founded the INDIA alliance and that it was a necessary front against BJP. Her priority is West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee is not interested in a chair in Delhi. If the INDIA bloc demands her leadership, she will do so from Kolkata only."
Notwithstanding the clear-air act, the statement on the scenario in INDI Alliance by Mamata Banerjee has brought to fore the split character of the main opposition block.
While Congress, the alliance’s largest bloc and Banerjee’s arch rival Communists reacted coldly, other significant members and leaders like Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena UBT and SP have echoed her sentiments and called her ‘a capable leader’.
Here is a sample-talk of several prominent leaders from the INDI alliance.
- Congress, largest party in the INDI Aliance: Party leader TS Singhdeo said, "She has her opinion and intent. Mamata Banerjee is a member of the INDIA bloc. Whatever conversations happen, it is natural that everyone will sit together and decide."
- Communist leader D Raja said, “Objective is BJP hatao, I don’t know what she exactly means.”
- The veteran communist leader in a way asking Mamata Banerjee to forget leadership goal, just work on the goal of ‘defeat BJP’
- Samajwadi Party: "She is a senior leader, she has a lot of experience. She is capable. Our party's relationship with her is good and we have trust in her leadership," Party leader UdaivarSingh said.
- SP big leader Ram Gopal Yadav, Akhilesh's uncle, took a dig at the Congress' performance in the polls, but noted that INDIA bloc should remain to defeat BJP.
- Sharad Pawar: "She is a prominent leader of this nation... she has that capability.. she has the right to say so...,"
The above leader talks clearly show divide in INDI alliance over leadership, post the Assembly elections results of Haryana and Maharashtra.
WHY MAMATA PLAYED INDI LEADER CARD?
Before answering, it needs mentioning is, in politics, politicians attempt to influence the timing of events in such a way so as to maximize the political benefits or minimize the political costs for themselves.
So what are the political benefits, Mamata wants to maximize here, and what are the political costs she was eager to cut?
POLITICAL BENEFITS: After the RG Kar Medical rape incident, and the SC comments on the matter together with national opprobrium had put Mamata Banerjee on the backfoot.
But she was back at politicking after the recent bypoll elections held in West Bengal alongside Maharashtra polls, where TMC made a clean sweep by defeating the BJP at the hustings.
- She wants to seize the moment to take on the mantle to bolster her image in West Bengal, after RG Kar beating
- Now the national elections are 5-years away, even then Mamata is lamenting over INDI alliance.
- Moreover, Mamata is no crowd puller in UP, Haryana, Bihar or Maharashtra. Then why is she is seeking to take the mantle?
- The reason is Assembly elections to West Bengal are just a year away.
- She in her statement said, “I will run from Kolkata.”
- This shows Mamata thinks the time is ripe to bring all parties, including communist and congress, under her umbrella to give a united fight to BJP. And in turn, a sure shot win for TMC.
- Also, INDI Alliance leadership to Mamata will come handy for the TMC to promote Mamata as future PM to win the assembly elections at hand with a big margin and strive for 2029.
POLITICAL COSTS: Mamata Banerjee, though winning big post the 2019 jolt by playing the ‘daughter of the soil’ card to the hilt, the public outburst over RG Kar rape and corruption cases revealed the political costs TMC is bearing with.
- The West Bengal communists and Congress are heavily criticizing Mamata Banerjee along with prime opposition party BJP over the skeletons in Mamata’s cupboard.
- The statement taking ‘all along’ is to cut the political costs in its favour before the upcoming Assembly polls in 2026.
- Mamata knows winning bypolls, aftermath RG Kar cases, is not insurance for winning the next Assembly elections. Because, in Assembly elections people will vote for change in government.
After Maharashtra UPSET poll result, she too fears this may happen in her home turf, therefore, she has dropped this INDI leadership card.
