Mamata vs Modi: The turf war of 2024 general elections

Ground Report | New Delhi: Mamata vs Modi; Over the years, Indian politics had seen various rivalries among different political parties be it at the state or national level but the situation had not turned into a heated battlefield before as it has now. Right now, the turf war between the BJP led NDA government and the opposition parties’ coalition forces led by the INC and TMC are spreading all over the country like wildfire.

It is now being said that TMC head and West Bengal CM, Mamata Banerjee is the main opposition leader due to her increasing popularity in the political circles leaving behind INC chief Rahul Gandhi. Mamata is now reigning as the CM of WB for the third time in a row. She had been recognized by the Times Magazine and has her name in the 100 most influential leaders list in the World. (Mamata vs Modi)

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She is perceived as an emerging rival in the complicated mosaic of India’s multiparty system to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Narendra Modi and his ambitions to establish a one-party hegemony. Hammering home the point that the BJP’s agenda is to sow fear, foment division by instigating majoritarian anxieties by using Pakistan as a bogey, Banerjee has been explicit in her attack.

She was featured in the Times Magazine after acting as a one-woman army in 2012 after she blew out the 34-year-old coalition government led by the CPI(M) in West Bengal. Experts believe that she is among the frontrunners for the PM seat in the 2024 general elections. She had been seen attending conferences and meetings with opposition leaders like the Samajwadi Party, and the Indian National Congress both in the past as well as in recent times.

After the humiliating defeat of the BJP in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections in April this year, the popularity of Mamata has increased manifold. Ever since the Trinamool Congress registered a thumping victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections 2021, Banerjee has been trying hard to unite the Opposition leaders to challenge the BJP in the next General Elections.

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In the recent past, Banerjee met some Opposition leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi. However, it seems that the meeting with Gandhi didn’t yield any positive results as an article in TMC's mouthpiece 'Jaago Bangla' in September 2021 had stated that Rahul Gandhi had failed to become an alternative face to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Mamata vs Modi)

The TMC chief is on a three-day visit to Goa from Thursday evening as her party has announced its decision to contest the Goa Assembly elections slated early next year.

When asked whether the motive behind her party TMC contesting the upcoming Goa polls as part of the larger plan of the next Lok Sabha elections, Mamata Banerjee said, "We will contest the elections in 2024." "We are transparent. We don't play hide and seek. We are a transparent party," she asserted.

When another journalist asked the same question, Mamata Banerjee said in a lighter vein, "Why don't you contest the election for PM's post. You are media, you can also contest." Several TMC leaders have been openly saying that Mamata Banerjee was among the frontrunners for the prime ministerial post in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

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Recently, Babul Supriyo, who recently deserted the BJP and joined Trinamool Congress, heaped praise on Banerjee saying that she is among the top frontrunners for the prime ministerial post. Earlier, another TMC leader Manoj Tiwary had tweeted “What Bengal thinks today, India will think tomorrow. Didi will lead the way".

When faced with questions about her Prime Ministerial aspirations for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections in 2024, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said, “If I tell you everything right now, what will I tell later.” 

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