Kolkata, June 15 — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called an emergency meeting of the opposition INDIA alliance following her party’s crushing defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered a historic setback, winning only 13 of the 42 parliamentary seats in the state — a sharp decline from its 2019 tally of 22 — and finishing behind both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC). The poor performance has triggered a leadership rethink within the TMC, prompting Banerjee to reset the INDIA bloc’s strategy ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Sources close to the TMC indicated that the meeting, scheduled for June 18 in Delhi, will focus on rebuilding alliances, addressing internal dissent, and charting a unified opposition front against the BJP. However, tensions within the INDIA bloc have been rising, with Congress and regional allies like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) reportedly questioning TMC’s dominance in the coalition. The DMK, which had secured 22 seats in Tamil Nadu, has called for greater coordination and shared decision-making in seat-sharing negotiations for future elections.
Banerjee’s decision to convene the meet follows public criticism from within her own party over campaign strategy and candidate selection. Senior TMC leaders have privately admitted to a lack of focus on national issues, with the campaign largely centered on state-level welfare schemes. Analysts say this shift in narrative failed to resonate outside Bengal, contributing to the electoral rout.
The INDIA bloc, formed in 2023 to challenge the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), now faces an existential challenge. With the Congress also underperforming in key states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, the alliance risks losing momentum just months before crucial assembly elections in states such as Haryana and Jharkhand. Banerjee’s move signals an attempt to reassert leadership and restore confidence in the coalition’s unity and electoral viability.
Political observers see this as a defining moment for the opposition alliance. While Banerjee remains a key figure, her leadership is now being tested at the national level. The outcome of the June 18 meeting could determine whether the INDIA bloc can regroup or face further fragmentation ahead of 2024.
