Congress' Sandeep Dikshit hints at TMC-Cong 2024 coalition ahead of Mamata-Sonia meeting

Ahead of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee's meeting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit downplayed the meeting terming the duo as sisters. Stating that Banerjee and Gandhi had a very personal bond, he said that the duo had a political connection on which they may or may not act - hinting at a 2024 Congress-TMC tie-up. The West Bengal CM is scheduled to meet Gandhi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and chair a meeting of TMC members.

Dikshit hints at TMC-Congress coalition in 2024 

"Mamata and Sonia have a very old personal bond. Mamata and Sonia are like sisters to each other. It is natural to have a political connection. (Whether) this connection will get into action or not that is their decision. But the current govt would be toppled for sure," said Sandeep Dikshit to ANI.

Mamata Banerjee's Delhi sojourn

After winning back Bengal, Banerjee has embarked on a 5-day journey to Delhi huddling up with many Opposition leaders, hinting at a 2024 coalition spearheaded by her. On Tuesday, she kicked off a slew of meetings by visiting Congress leaders - Kamal Nath and Anand Sharma terming it a 'reunion of friends'. Later she met with PM Modi - a first since the stormy Cyclone Yaas review meeting - discussing the 'need for more vaccines', 'West Bengal's change of name'. Stating that PM was hearty both healthwise and mindwise, she refuted raising the issue of Bengal bypolls - which is required for her to remain CM as she lost her Nandigram election to Suvendu Adhikari.

Apart from these leaders, she also met Congress politician/lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi who is representing the Trinamool govt in the Narada sting case. She is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind, NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar and has called for an SC-probe into the Pegasus snooping. Ahead of the meeting, Banerjee announced that her state government has formed an inquiry commission, headed by two retired judges, to look into the alleged snooping of key political figures using Israeli spyware Pegasus.

Mamata's bypoll conundrum

Recently in May, Bhowanipore MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay submitted his resignation, paving the way for Mamata's re-election from her bastion. Banerjee was sworn in for a third consecutive term on May 5 after she retained Bengal but lost the Nandigram polls to her ex-aide Suvendu Adhikari by mere 1737 votes. While TMC swept the state winning 213 seats and restricting BJP to mere 77 seats, the TMC's loss has necessitated her to be re-elected to the Assembly by November. Though she has challenged the Nandigram poll verdict, TMC has urged the state Election commission to hold bypolls ahead of a possible third wave of COVID-19. The SEC is yet to take up this request.