The Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Social gathering have mentioned they’ll stay equidistant from the Congress and BJP, inside a fortnight of Rahul Gandhi talking of a bigger opposition unity to tackle the saffron social gathering within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

This joint stand of Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav is anticipated to be quickly endorsed by BJD’s Naveen Patnaik in Odisha, exposing {that a} bigger opposition unity below the Congress umbrella stays a mirage.

Whereas the SP has no presence in West Bengal or Odisha, Banerjee has none in Uttar Pradesh the place she had campaigned on Yadav’s invitation final yr. Mayawati additionally doesn’t need any truck with the Congress or SP in Uttar Pradesh come 2024. This implies the BJP might be up towards a splintered opposition within the two key states of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal subsequent yr.

A senior BJP chief, additionally a union minister, instructed News18 that Banerjee and Yadav’s stand uncovered that Gandhi was unaware of the machinations of opposition events; and “was talking by way of his hat in London” when he mentioned he was conscious of talks between opposition events to come back collectively to tackle the BJP.

“Gandhi had promised a giant shock on this entrance quickly (opposition unity). The shock did come true however with Banerjee and Yadav dumping the Congress effectively forward of 2024, Patnaik will quickly comply with swimsuit,” the BJP chief mentioned.

Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha collectively account for 143 Lok Sabha seats.

What Rahul Gandhi mentioned in London

Earlier this month in London, senior Congress chief Rahul Gandhi mentioned “there are particular person states that work in a different way”. However, he additionally mentioned there have been numerous ongoing conversations over coordination.

“There are tactical points that require dialogue. Some states (are) quite simple, some states barely extra difficult. However the opposition may be very a lot able to resolving this,” Gandhi mentioned. This was, nonetheless, simpler mentioned than completed as it’s now evident.

In a column on March 6, this author had posed if the Congress would take a backseat in UP and Bihar – the place 120 Lok Sabha seats have been at stake – and let the SP, BSP, RJD and JD(U) contest almost all seats. The Congress solely holds two Lok Sabha seats in these two states at current. Or will the Congress let the TMC take the lead in West Bengal, the place it holds only one Lok Sabha seat?

Earlier than the grand previous social gathering may take a name, the TMC and SP spelt out their stand.

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