<p>The TMC on Wednesday claimed that it is now the "real Congress", given the fact that the "war-weary" grand old party has failed to perform its role as the main opposition.</p>.<p>The Mamata Banerjee-led party, engaged in a war of words with the Congress over the issue of opposition front leadership, iterated in its mouthpiece 'Jago Bangla' that it was committed to fighting the BJP. "The Congress is incapable of carrying forward the baton of principal opposition," the article said, while sharing details of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's meeting with party MPs in New Delhi, where he spoke about the camp's intention to expand in other states.</p>.<p>"The Congress was supposed to stop the BJP juggernaut. It is the main opposition party at the Centre. It is, however, indifferent, war-weary, burdened, torn apart by infighting and factionalism. But time doesn't wait for anybody; someone has to come forward. The TMC will fulfil that responsibility. It is the real Congress," it said. The editorial piece, however, maintained that the TMC wants to take along everybody as it marches ahead.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/tmc-wont-play-second-fiddle-to-congress-says-abhishek-banerjee-1058604.html" target="_blank">TMC won't play second fiddle to Congress, says Abhishek Banerjee</a></strong></p>.<p>According to leaders of Bengal’s ruling camp, Abhishek Banerjee, during his meeting with party MPs on Tuesday, rubbished allegations that his party was trying to drive a wedge in opposition as "baseless". "Our leader Abhishek Banerjee has said that the party would continue to expand in other states. The Congress and the CPI(M), too, had fought against the TMC in the last assembly polls and indirectly helped the BJP. So if that wasn't a spanner in opposition unity, how come the TMC expanding in other states is a problem?" a senior TMC MP sought to know.</p>.<p>The TMC, which is trying to make inroads in the political landscapes of other states, has been up in arms against the grand old party over its alleged failure to counter the BJP.</p>.<p>In its bid to enter Tripura's political arena in a big way, the TMC recently engaged in a bitter battle with the BJP during the municipal elections there. It is also gearing up to contest the assembly elections in Goa to pitch Mamata Banerjee firmly as the foremost anti-BJP opposition voice.</p>.<p>In a massive jolt to the Congress in Meghalaya, 12 of its 17 MLAs, led by former chief minister Mukul Sangma, recently joined the TMC. The party also said it is "disinterested" in coordinating with the Congress during the winter session of Parliament and doesn't want to play second fiddle to the grand old party.</p>.<p>In October, Banerjee's party had taken a dig at Rahul Gandhi's defeat at Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, wondering whether the Congress would erase it through a Twitter trend. The ties between the Congress and the TMC got further strained after 'Jago Bangla', in one of its articles, asserted that Banerjee, and not Rahul Gandhi, has emerged as the face of the opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>The TMC on Wednesday claimed that it is now the "real Congress", given the fact that the "war-weary" grand old party has failed to perform its role as the main opposition.</p>.<p>The Mamata Banerjee-led party, engaged in a war of words with the Congress over the issue of opposition front leadership, iterated in its mouthpiece 'Jago Bangla' that it was committed to fighting the BJP. "The Congress is incapable of carrying forward the baton of principal opposition," the article said, while sharing details of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's meeting with party MPs in New Delhi, where he spoke about the camp's intention to expand in other states.</p>.<p>"The Congress was supposed to stop the BJP juggernaut. It is the main opposition party at the Centre. It is, however, indifferent, war-weary, burdened, torn apart by infighting and factionalism. But time doesn't wait for anybody; someone has to come forward. The TMC will fulfil that responsibility. It is the real Congress," it said. The editorial piece, however, maintained that the TMC wants to take along everybody as it marches ahead.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/tmc-wont-play-second-fiddle-to-congress-says-abhishek-banerjee-1058604.html" target="_blank">TMC won't play second fiddle to Congress, says Abhishek Banerjee</a></strong></p>.<p>According to leaders of Bengal’s ruling camp, Abhishek Banerjee, during his meeting with party MPs on Tuesday, rubbished allegations that his party was trying to drive a wedge in opposition as "baseless". "Our leader Abhishek Banerjee has said that the party would continue to expand in other states. The Congress and the CPI(M), too, had fought against the TMC in the last assembly polls and indirectly helped the BJP. So if that wasn't a spanner in opposition unity, how come the TMC expanding in other states is a problem?" a senior TMC MP sought to know.</p>.<p>The TMC, which is trying to make inroads in the political landscapes of other states, has been up in arms against the grand old party over its alleged failure to counter the BJP.</p>.<p>In its bid to enter Tripura's political arena in a big way, the TMC recently engaged in a bitter battle with the BJP during the municipal elections there. It is also gearing up to contest the assembly elections in Goa to pitch Mamata Banerjee firmly as the foremost anti-BJP opposition voice.</p>.<p>In a massive jolt to the Congress in Meghalaya, 12 of its 17 MLAs, led by former chief minister Mukul Sangma, recently joined the TMC. The party also said it is "disinterested" in coordinating with the Congress during the winter session of Parliament and doesn't want to play second fiddle to the grand old party.</p>.<p>In October, Banerjee's party had taken a dig at Rahul Gandhi's defeat at Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, wondering whether the Congress would erase it through a Twitter trend. The ties between the Congress and the TMC got further strained after 'Jago Bangla', in one of its articles, asserted that Banerjee, and not Rahul Gandhi, has emerged as the face of the opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>