Mamata Banerjee Meets Arvind Kejriwal Ahead of Alliance Meet, AAP Rules Out Congress Tie-Up

Ahead of a crucial meeting of the opposition INDIA alliance, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee met with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to discuss the current political landscape and strategies for opposition unity.

The meeting between the two prominent leaders took place in the national capital following the West Bengal Chief Minister’s arrival in Delhi for the broad opposition meeting.

AAP Opts Out of the Meeting

Despite the high-profile meeting between Banerjee and Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) formally announced that it would not be participating in the broader alliance meeting. Launching a scathing attack on the leadership of the Congress party, senior AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar clarified that her party would not be sharing the stage with them.

Speaking to ANI,  Priyanka Kakkar, AAP leader and spokesperson, said, "The sole purpose of Congress allying with any party is to strengthen themselves, not the country… we cannot join hands with a party that is against the youth of the country. We saw in Tamil Nadu how they backstabbed their alliance in a matter of one day. In direct fights, Congress fails in challenging the BJP… there is no question of an alliance with Congress."

BJP Questions Alliance's Legitimacy

As opposition leaders converged on Delhi, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to dismiss the political credibility of the gathering. Highlighting the shifting alliances and internal contradictions within West Bengal, BJP MP Saumitra Khan heavily questioned the alliance’s local and national value. "What value does the Trinamool Congress have in West Bengal? The Trinamool Congress is joining hands with the Congress again. TMC had effectively destroyed the Congress, and now that you’ve joined hands with them, who is going to accept it,”he said.

The agenda for the main meeting remains critical, as participating parties try to smooth over regional friction, coordinate potential seat-sharing models, and formulate a unified floor strategy. 

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