TMC opening doors for Congress leaders, will emerging opposition unity take a hit?

By Siddharth Sharma And Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], August 17 : Even as Trinamool Congress leaders have indicated that former MP Sushmita Dev joining their party will not impact the efforts towards opposition unity, the resignation of another young leader from the party has caused concerns in sections of Congress, especially as she has moved to a party which too is firmly opposed to the BJP-led government and is keen to increase its footprint.
Sushmita Dev had a long association with the Congress and was chief of Mahila Congress. She joined Trinamool Congress in Kolkata on Sunday.
TMC leader Saugata Roy told ANI that individual joining will not make any difference between the parties and their bonds.
"These joinings will go on. Together we will fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). If someone wants to join the party, he or she is free to join. Individual joining will not make a difference," he said.
Sushmita Dev joined TMC days after the opposition put up a show of unity over its demands in the monsoon session of parliament.
Congress General Secretary (Organisation) sought to downplay Sushmita Dev joining the Trinamool Congress and said Congress is strong.
"We are a strong party. It is not an issue for Congress if somebody is going or coming. People should not point out Sushmita Dev's joining TMC. There are so many people who have joined Congress," he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her visit to the national capital last month after her third consecutive assembly polls victory held deliberations with opposition parties for forming a united front for the 2024 general elections.
During her Delhi visit, she met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi. Senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Anand Sharma also met and congratulated her.
Speaking to ANI, Sushmita Dev said she met TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee.
"It was a very good discussion. He has excellent vision and clarity for the party. We went to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It was an excellent discussion. She clearly has an excellent future vision for the party. I hope to be helpful in that regard," she said.
Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is MP from Berhampore in West Bengal, has been at loggerheads with Trinamool Congress on various local issues and is keen that Congress re-emerges as a strong force in the state.
Before Sushmita Dev, some other prominent names from Congress including former President Pranab Mukherjee's son Abhijit Banerjee and Mausam Noor had joined the Trinamool Congress. Mausam Noor is the niece of former union minister ABA Ghani Khan Choudhry.
Sushmita Dev, former MP from Silchar in Assam, is a prominent leader outside West Bengal to join the Trinamool Congress. Trinamool Congress has been seeking to increase its footprint in Tripura.
Recently, TS Singh Deo was sent by the Congress central Leadership to Tripura. Singh had said that both BJP and TMC were trying to "break" Congress in the stae.
While the recently concluded monsoon session saw opposition unity on issues such as demand for a probe into allegations of Pegasus surveillance, repeal of new farm laws and price rise, TMC appeared to be less enthusiastic when Congress pushed Rahul Gandhi's leadership as opposition leader.
When Rahul Gandhi called opposition leaders for breakfast at the Constitution Club, senior TMC leaders in parliament were not present.
When Opposition floor Leaders and Congress MPs went to Jantar Mantar to extend Support to farmers in their Kisan Sansad, TMC went separately.
At a meeting held by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge during the monsoon session, floor leaders of Trinamool Congress were not present.
TMC is now seeking to expand its footprint in states such as Assam and Tripura.
Amid apparent efforts by Trinamool Congress to create a niche for a leadership role of opposition at the national level, more Congress leaders may be inclined to join the party.
Congress leader Sharmishtha Mukherjee congratulated Sushmita Dev by saying, "Let my party awake...Wish you all the best Sushmita in your new journey. I understand what a difficult decision it must have been for you. No matter what, you will always remain one of my closest friends."
A Congress leader said senior leaders of TMC such as Derek O' Brien, considered close to Mamata Banerjee, turned up for dinner at Kapil Sibal's residence but when it comes to pushing leadership of Rahul Gandhi as opposition leader, there appears some hesitancy.
Sibal on Monday targeted the leadership over another young leader leaving the party.
"Sushmita Dev resigns from the primary membership of our Party. While young leaders leave we 'oldies' are blamed for our efforts to strengthen it. The Party moves on with: Eyes Wide Shut," Sibal said in a tweet.
Sibal is among 23 leaders who had written to Congress President seeking sweeping changes including organisational elections at various levels including the Congress Working Committee.
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told ANI that it is time to think.
"If you do not think about it, then it will continue to happen like this," he said.
Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of Opposition party leaders on August 20 which is likely to be attended by Mamta Banerjee.