New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee didn’t meet Congress’ Interim President Sonia Gandhi during her latest visit to the National Capital. When asked about it, she asked a question in return, “Why should we meet Sonia every time?”
It’s true that Banerjee was in Delhi to meet the Prime Ministerin official capacity, but she has also been maintaining a fine balance since she returned to power in West Bengal earlier this year.
On one hand, she is trying her best to be the face of opposition through a common consensus among parties, and on the other, she has tried to look like someone who wants to fight the Centre on every issue.
In such a situation, commenting with a straight answer might be a tactic to establish herself as a strong-willed person who could be the leader of the third front sans BJP and Congress.
She told reporters, “This time I sought time only from the prime minister. The leaders are all busy with Punjab polls. Work is first. Why should we meet Sonia every time? It is not constitutionally mandated.”
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First part of her comment presents her mindset of not being very in your face before the Punjab elections, and the second part shows how she can turn to the BJP if need be.
Whatever be the plan behind this statement, Mamata Banerjee definitely knows how to make others notice her.
