TMC leader Derek O'Brien says someone experienced was needed; Mamata not to attend meet
With opposition parties slated for a February 1 meeting at United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi's residence, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has made another bid to project its supremo Mamata Banerjee as a bigger leader in the Opposition.
TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Tuesday said that the face of the Opposition should be a leader with experience. "It is important that someone with impeccable credentials leads us into 2019. Someone who has been either a CM or an union minister," said the leader, making a clear indication of TMC's insistence on not supporting Rahul Gandhi. In the last Parliament session, O'Brien had said that Mamata has the best credentials as she is experienced, credible, and has integrity.
As leaders from across the country are trying to stitch a broader understanding for a coalition, there seems to be a scramble among leaders across the spectrum to be the face of the Opposition. Despite an invitation, Mamata is likely to stay away from the meeting. She is set to send O'Brien and Sudip Bandyopadhyay for the meeting.
Congress leader P Chidambaram, however, said that the Congress is the largest party with governments in multiple states. "Several single-state parties have tried (to lead the Opposition), but failed. When a party exists only in one state then the agenda is rather limited," the former finance minister said.
The call for a meet by Sonia Gandhi follows the one called for by NCP leader Sharad Pawar. Pawar held a meeting of Opposition leaders on Monday to discuss the Opposition's strategy for the Budget Session.
The meeting was attended by Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, CPI(M)'s TK Rangarajan, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, and CPI leader D Raja.
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