Sonia-Mamata bonhomie a cause of concern for BJP, CPI(M) in Bengal

The recent bonhomie between Congress president Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may have an adverse effect on the electoral prospect of BJP in the state.

If this cordial relationship between the two leaders develops into an electoral alliance, then that will definitely result in the saffron party losing the ground it gained in Bengal after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

One may ask why Sonia is once again warming up to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo whose party has caused severe damage to Congress through its alleged defection tactics.

The Congress chief is well aware of the fact that she can only revive her party’s fortune if she can push BJP on the backfoot. It can be done by joining hands with staunch anti-BJP forces and presently, Mamata is her best option.

The closeness between the two leaders became evident during a recent virtual meeting among the opposition party leaders on the issue of conducting NEET and JEE examinations amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The bonhomie is significant for both BJP and CPI(M). The saffron party has taken up the mantle of Opposition in Bengal, a position that was left vacant by the gradual decline of CPI(M) and Congress, and an alliance between TMC and Congress will mean that BJP will face the united strength of two of its strongest opponents in the Bengal Assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2021.

As for CPI(M), the closeness of the top leadership of its current ally in Bengal, i.e. Congress, with its arch-rival TMC has started to give rise to questions on the future of the Left-Congress alliance.

In case Congress and TMC join forces for the 2021 Assembly elections, the CPI(M)-led Left Front will have no choice but to fight a two-front battle against BJP and the Congress-TMC combo. Considering its current condition, the outcome will most likely not be a very encouraging one.