"She's most popular politician in India", TMC leader Kunal Ghosh backs Mamata Banerjee for INDIA bloc leadership

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 10 : TMC leader Kunal Ghosh on Tuesday backed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the leadership of the INDIA Bloc, citing her impressive track record of defeating the BJP in West Bengal.
Ghosh pointed out that Congress failed to deliver in Haryana and Maharashtra, adding that TMC is suggesting Banerjee's name because she is the most popular politician in India.
"TMC defeated the BJP in West Bengal. Now, looking at Haryana and Maharashtra where Congress had the responsibility of defeating the BJP, Congress failed there," he said.
"We are not playing a blame game but we need an effective leader like Mamata Banerjee to defeat BJP. She has been the MP 7 times, central minister 4 times, railway minister 2 times, and the CM 3 times. TMC is suggesting her name because she is the most popular politician in India," the TMC leader added.
Speaking on the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case, Kunal Ghosh said that if the investigation was in the hands of the Bengal police they would have given a death-by-hanging order right away.
"As per the Supreme Court, the investigation, filing of charge sheet and the trial are going on properly. That is why they do not feel the need to give a date currently.... Supreme Court is monitoring the investigation going on in the trial court Sealdah... If it was in the hands of the Bengal police they would have given a death by hanging order right away," he said.
Notably, NCP-SCP supremo Sharad Pawar recently acknowledged the leadership potential of Mamata Banerjee, emphasising her prominence as a national leader and the competence of her party's representatives in Parliament.
Pawar expressed his support last week, stating, "Yes, certainly (she is capable of leading the alliance). She is a prominent leader of this nation... she has that capability. The elected leaders she sent to Parliament are responsible, dutiful, and well-aware people. Therefore, she has the right to say so."
Congress, a significant player in the INDIA Bloc, has yet to issue an official response to Lalu Yadav's suggestion, fueling speculation about internal rifts.
Notably, the INDIA bloc formed ahead of the general elections, exceeded expectations by winning 234 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and bringing down NDA's tally to 293. However, the subsequent assembly elections haven't brought satisfying results for the opposition.
While the Opposition won in Jammu-Kashmir (NC-Congress alliance) and Jharkhand (JMM-Congress-RJD alliance), it failed badly in Maharashtra (Maha Vikas Aghadi) where BJP-led Mahayuti stormed to power with a huge majority.
Even in Haryana, the Congress failed to oust the BJP for a third straight time. The party was also accused by several of its allies of not accommodating them.
These results have further stirred up the leadership question within the INDIA bloc, with recent remarks of Lalu Prasad and Sharad Pawar, further spicing up the debate.