Kolkata, June 8 (IANS). Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, will attend the opposition ‘India’ block meeting in New Delhi today.
Political experts believe that compared to other allies of the ‘India’ block, this meeting is especially important for Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.
It will be interesting to see how successful the former Chief Minister and his nephew are in garnering the support of other allies of the ‘India’ block amid the all-round crisis the party is facing after the defeat in the recent West Bengal elections.
After the defeat in the elections, Mamata Banerjee’s party Trinamool Congress is facing an existential crisis, as a large faction has separated from the party and created its own identity in the assembly. Now the possibility of formation of a similar majority group in the parliamentary unit of the party under the leadership of rebel Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar is increasing.
A party insider said that almost all the MPs of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha houses are currently in New Delhi.
In such a situation, all eyes will be on the stir happening within the Trinamool Congress and the results of the ‘India’ block meeting.
Abhishek Banerjee reached New Delhi on Saturday afternoon itself, while Mamata Banerjee reached the capital on Sunday evening.
It is noteworthy that Abhishek Banerjee was to appear at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police in South Kolkata by Monday afternoon. This appearance was to be held in connection with the ongoing CID investigation into the difference in signatures of several Trinamool Congress MLAs on a proposal related to appointment to four important posts of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.
However, due to his presence in New Delhi to attend the meeting, his chances of appearing are now over.
This is the second time that Abhishek Banerjee will not appear on CID summons; Even before this, he had not appeared on June 1.
An important hearing on Abhishek Banerjee’s petition is to be held on June 10 in the single-judge vacation bench in Kolkata. In this petition, he has challenged the CID notice and has also sought protection from strict police action including arrest in this case.
–IANS
SCH/AS