Mamata Banerjee in Delhi, to meet Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief

New Delhi: Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who has been positioning herself as the leader of an anti-BJP national alliance, arrived in Delhi on Monday for a three-day visit during which she will meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and leaders of other Opposition parties.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi might “walk in” during her meeting with Mrs Gandhi. Ms Banerjee is also scheduled to meet Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, a potential leader of a united Opposition.

Ms Banerjee who has, since demonetisation, reached to leaders of various regional parties, is also likely to meet rebel Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav and Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. She may also call on leaders of the Telugu Desam Party and Shiv Sena.

This would be the West Bengal chief minister’s first visit to the capital since she made clear her ambitions of leading an Opposition alliance of parties to take on the Modi-led BJP in the 2019 general elections. While Ms Banerjee has no issue in aligning with the Congress, or even the Left, she has indicated that it would be difficult for her to work under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi as she is politically more experienced.

On the other hand, Ms Banerjee shares a very good rapport with former Congress chief Mrs Gandhi.

Trinamul Congress sources maintained that discussions have already taken place for a “possible” meeting between Mrs Gandhi and Ms Banerjee, and that she is unlikely to meet the Congress president.

Congress sources, however, said that Mr Gandhi might just “walk in” and join the discussions.

The Trinamul Congress chief has floated the idea of a Third Front and has spoken to numerous leaders like Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao. Recently she has also come out in support of BSP chief Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav for coming together to defeat the BJP in two crucial by-polls in Uttar Pradesh.

She also appreciated Ms Mayawati’s call for a united Opposition before the 2019 elections to take on the BJP.

However, what is interesting is that while many regional parties like TMC, TRS and TDP are seeking a Federal or a Third Front, the Congress wants the non-BJP Opposition to unite under its umbrella with Mr Gandhi as the leader.

Incidentally, Mr Pawar, whom the TMC chief is scheduled to meet on March 28, had also called meetings of Opposition parties — one in Mumbai in January and one in Delhi in February.