AAP strong alternative to Punjab parties: Mamata Banerjee

Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, speaking to reporters at Parliament House on Wednesday after introducing her party MPs to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, said she was confident that the Aam Aadmi Party was emerging as a strong alternative to the established political parties in Punjab, where Assembly elections are due in 2017. Mr Kejriwal, however, was cautious in responding to a question on whether he would campaign for the TMC in the West Bengal Assembly polls to be held in the next few months, though he said he would be going to Kolkata next month. Ms Banerjee later took the Delhi CM to the TMC office at Parliament House.

Ms Banerjee had backed chief minister Nitish Kumar in the crucial Bihar Assembly elections against the BJP-led front. While she did not address campaign meetings in Bihar, the TMC and JD(U) are together on several key issues. Replying to a question, Ms Banerjee indicated her party would go it alone in the Bengal Assembly polls. “We have been fighting local body elections, Parliament elections and could go it alone in the Assembly polls,” she said.

The Trinamul Congress, which has 46 members in Parliament (34 in the Lok Sabha and 12 in the Rajya Sabha), is now supporting the Congress’ battle against the Narendra Modi government on a “political vendetta” after Congress president Sonia Gandhi reached out to it the other day.

In this situation, the Congress cannot afford to antagonise Ma Banerjee by appearing to be friendly with the Left parties, her chief rival, in the West Bengal elections.