TMC's Surprise Entry in Oppn Meeting Called by Congress. Is There a Change in Party's Stance?

While the TMC has been keeping a distinct distance from Congress this parliament session, the party condemned the disqualification of leader Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha last week and also participated in an opposition meeting called by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

As per sources, TMC’s Prasun Banerjee from the Lok Sabha and Jawahar Sarkar from the Rajya Sabha participated in the meeting. The TMC is holding its own meeting thereafter and also participating in a protest by opposition parties wearing black outside the parliament building. “Democracy is dead” is their slogan, said a party insider.

The news of Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification came on Friday when party supremo Mamata Banerjee and National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee were meeting party workers in the Birbhum district. Their response, however, was swift, as they condemned the action.

The question that arises now is whether the differences between the two parties will end with Rahul’s disqualification.

Party sources told News18 that this is a matter of democracy, and the parliament protest was required. Addressing the disqualification, state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya told News18, “We are not shy in accepting the truth. This is a threat to democracy, that’s why our party supremo has condemned this attack on democracy.”

Party insiders said that as far as democracy is in threat, TMC will do everything to protect that. “Though the issue is for Rahul Gandhi but the bigger question is the fight to restore democracy,” said another senior leader of TMC .

Party insiders said that the party will maintain a distance with Congress — there is no change in that stand — but the Rahul Gandhi issue now is an issue of existence of democracy. For democracy they will do everything, and Congress is not important. TMC is looking into the larger picture and in that aspect they have protested, they said.

TMC will be seen protesting on this issue in Parliament aggressively but not it may not always be in tandem with the Congress.

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