The Trinamool Congress (TMC) intensified its call for Mamata Banerjee to lead the opposition INDIA bloc, with party MP Kirti Azad stating that she is the “most suitable” candidate for the role, highlighting her track record of repeatedly defeating the BJP.

Azad’s remarks came after the West Bengal Chief Minister signaled her intent to take charge of the alliance, which received support from NCP leader Sharad Pawar, who described her as a capable leader.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, however, emphasised the need for a consensus on the leadership issue.

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“We have no issue with Mamata Banerjee leading the bloc, but keeping in mind there are so many senior politicians in the anti-BJP coalition, there’s a need to sit together and take a collective decision on choosing a leader,” Yadav told reporters in Kolkata on Sunday, as PTI reported.

Commenting on Banerjee’s remarks, Pawar expressed his backing on Saturday, saying that Banerjee has the right to express her intent to lead the opposition. “She is a capable leader in the country and has the right to say it. The MPs she has sent to the Parliament are hardworking and aware,” Pawar said in Kolhapur, Maharashtra.

In an interview on Friday, Banerjee had conveyed her dissatisfaction with the functioning of the INDIA bloc, suggesting that she could take charge of the alliance while continuing as West Bengal’s Chief Minister. Her statement came amid growing discontent within the opposition following recent electoral setbacks for Congress in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, and Maharashtra.

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Azad, in a video statement, reiterated the growing discussion around leadership changes within the bloc, noting that even senior leaders, including Pawar, have voiced support for Banerjee’s leadership.

“There is a need for change. Mamata Banerjee is the only leader who has repeatedly defeated the BJP and Modi ji. In the recent byelections in West Bengal, the BJP was thrown out of Bengal. She has a lot of experience; she herself has said that she created the INDIA bloc and is ready to lead it if given the opportunity. She has been an MP, Union Minister, and, since 2011, the Chief Minister of West Bengal,” he said.

He concluded, “It’s time to make Mamata Banerjee the leader of the INDIA bloc. Her extensive experience makes her the most qualified for this role.”