From Choor-Choor Ho Jayega to Choor-Choor INDI: How Mamata Shattered Congress Within Oppn Bloc

New Delhi: The INDI bloc seems to be heading towards a rift ever since Mamata Banerjee ’s open bid for leading the opposition’s alliance. A few days ago, West Bengal Chief Minister said she was ready to lead the alliance if given an opportunity. Ever since her remarks, many regional parties and leaders have openly backed her as their leader. This includes Sharad Pawar , Supriya Sule, Samajwadi Party, Lalu Yadav’s RJD, and to some extent, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena also. The parties who have expressed support for Mamata comprises a major chunk of the INDI alliance.

The Congress has so far not directly commented on the possibility of Mamata Banerjee leading the alliance . The Grand Old Party has neither backed or opposed the West Bengal CM.

In her comments, Mamata Banerjee said that she can very well handle both the responsibilities including leading the alliance and as Chief Minister of West Bengal.

These developments come after the INDI alliance and in particularly Congress’ poor show in Haryana , Maharashtra Assembly elections and also the bypolls.

Mamata’s old remark ‘Choor-Choor hojayega’ turning out true but for Congress?

In the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when several regional opposition parties came together against the Modi government, Mamata Banerjee in a media briefing sent a message to the ruling BJP -NDA government saying ‘Jo Humse Takrayega Woh Choor Choor Hojayega’.

Though the outcome of 2019 elections turned out as one of the biggest ever victory for NDA under PM Modi, Mamata’s comment is heading towards a reality now for opposition’s alliance rather, especially the Congress.

Why Mamata’s bid as INDI bloc leader may break INDI alliance apart?

With many key players already extending support for Mamata Banerjee as their leader including Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, RJD, Samajwadi Party, this has left a very few of them and almost no big party backing Rahul Gandhi .

So if all the major parties side with Mamata and if Congress didn’t agree to work under her leadership, this will probably lead the INDI bloc to break apart, but necessarily in to just two.

Mamata's strike rate in Bengal way better than Congress

Among many opposition leaders who have directly contested elections against the BJP, Mamata's strike rate is way better than the Congress. Under her leadership, the Trinamool Congress ( TMC ) was successful to stop the saffron party winning the elections in both 2016 and 2021, though the BJP did increased its base in the state, becoming the main opposition and number 2 party. 

Whereas, whenever the BJP and Congress have contested elections directly against each other, its the saffron party which won majority of times.