Mamata Banerjee's TMC announces to go solo in 2024, Congress left out

The political dynamics in West Bengal are undergoing a significant shift as Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee declared that her party would contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections independently, marking a departure from the India alliance. This decision has created a rift between the TMC and Congress, exacerbated by the denial of permission for Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president, to hold a public meeting in the state.

Rahul Gandhi, on his Nyaya Yatra spanning from Manipur to Maharashtra, had sought permission for a public meeting in Siliguri, which was denied by the administration. The strained relations between the two parties were further highlighted when Mamata Banerjee offered two Lok Sabha seats to Congress, a proposal that was met with the assertion that Congress did not seek charity and would contest and win seats independently.

The announcement of TMC going solo in the 2024 elections came after Mamata Banerjee's offer of two seats to Congress, a move viewed as a strategy to maintain political autonomy. The Congress, in damage control mode, sought permission for Rahul Gandhi's public meeting in Siliguri, which was declined by the state administration.

Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary expressed disappointment, stating that a small request for a public meeting was denied. The rift between Mamata Banerjee's TMC and Congress appears to be widening, with the recent developments signaling a strained relationship, complicating the political landscape in West Bengal.