'Tides are turning against BJP': Abhishek Banerjee tells Rahul Gandhi after Lok Sabha Bill defeat

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee held telephonic conversation on Thursday night, soon after the joint Opposition managed to defeat a Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at delimitation of Lok Sabha seats for early implementation of 33 per cent women's quota.

Sources said Rahul appreciated Banerjee's "crucial role" in defeating the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill by ensuring that 21 of the 28 Trinamool MPs were present in Lok Sabha at the time of voting, despite the party in the midst of an Assembly election campaign.

Both the leaders spoke about the Opposition getting more votes if 12 absentee MPs from various parties had managed to come. Sources said Banerjee told Rahul, "The tides are turning against BJP. Earlier cross-voting used to happen from the Opposition but it has ended now."

The telephonic conversation between Rahul and Banerjee comes days after the former took objection to Trinamool's initial stand that it can spare only four or five MPs for voting. Rahul had then said absence of MPs would be read as helping BJP and it would have a political cost.

Party sources said seven MPs, including Banerjee, could not attend the Lok Sabha proceedings as they were busy in election campaigning.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee after the "big win" in Lok Sabha against the Modi government, sources said, adding Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to Trinamool's Rajya Sabha floor leader to appreciate his role in floor coordination.

Of the 238 votes the Opposition could have got, 230 polled in its favour while the government got 298, five more than its strength but the Bill fell as it required two-third majority or 352 votes.