TMC Announces Plan To Contest All 42 Lok Sabha Seats In West Bengal, Dealing Blow To INDIA Bloc

In a significant blow to the opposition INDIA alliance, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) announced on Friday its intention to contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. Derek O'Brien, a TMC MP, confirmed this decision and mentioned that the party would also be participating in a few seats in Assam and the Tura Lok Sabha constituency in Meghalaya.

Addressing the media, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien reiterated Mamata Banerjee's earlier statement, affirming, "A few weeks ago, the TMC Chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that TMC is contesting all the 42 seats in Bengal. We are also in contention for some seats in Assam and the Tura Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya. There is no change in this stance." This reasserts Mamata Banerjee's consistent position on contesting alone in Bengal.

Earlier, Mamata Banerjee severed ties with the Congress, declaring that TMC would go solo in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha polls, dealing a significant setback to the opposition INDIA bloc. She emphasized, "I had no discussions with the Congress party. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I am not concerned about what will be done in the country, but we are a secular party, and in Bengal, we will alone defeat the BJP."

In response to TMC's decision, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also announced its intention to go solo, this time in Punjab.

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Contrary to these solo endeavors, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party unveiled a strategic seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Alongside its traditional strongholds of Rae Bareli and Amethi, the Congress disclosed plans to contest Varanasi, Ghaziabad, and Kanpur seats in Uttar Pradesh. The formal alliance declaration outlined that Congress would contest 17 seats, with the Samajwadi Party taking on the remaining 63 seats in the crucial state.

The success of this seat-sharing agreement signifies a significant achievement for the Congress, which has encountered challenges in negotiating with the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. This alliance marks a noteworthy development in the political landscape as parties strategically align themselves in preparation for the Lok Sabha elections.