New Delhi, June 8: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, the General Secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), are set to participate in the opposition ‘India’ bloc meeting today in New Delhi.
Political analysts believe this meeting is particularly significant for the Banerjees compared to other allies in the ‘India’ bloc.
It will be intriguing to see how successful the former Chief Minister and her nephew are in garnering support from other members of the ‘India’ bloc, especially in light of the TMC’s recent electoral defeat in West Bengal, which has plunged the party into a multifaceted crisis.
Following the election loss, the TMC is grappling with an existential threat, as a significant faction has broken away to establish its identity in the assembly. There are growing concerns that the rebel faction, led by TMC MP Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, may form a majority group within the party’s parliamentary unit.
An insider from the party revealed that nearly all MPs from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are currently in New Delhi.
Consequently, all eyes are on the internal dynamics of the TMC and the outcomes of the ‘India’ bloc meeting.
Abhishek Banerjee arrived in New Delhi on Saturday afternoon, while Mamata Banerjee reached the capital on Sunday evening.
Notably, Abhishek Banerjee was scheduled to appear at the headquarters of the West Bengal Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in South Kolkata by Monday afternoon. This appearance was related to an ongoing CID investigation concerning discrepancies in signatures from several TMC legislators regarding appointments to four key opposition positions in the West Bengal assembly.
However, his presence in New Delhi for the meeting has now eliminated the possibility of him appearing before the CID.
This marks the second time Abhishek Banerjee will not comply with the CID summons; he also missed an appearance on June 1.
A crucial hearing on Abhishek Banerjee’s petition challenging the CID notice is scheduled for June 10 in Kolkata’s single-judge vacation bench. In this petition, he seeks protection from police action, including arrest, in connection with the same case.
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