Mamata Banerjee unlikely to attend INDIA bloc meet in Delhi on Wednesday, cites prior engagement

Kolkata, December 4

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she won’t be able to attend the upcoming opposition INDIA bloc meeting scheduled in Delhi on December 6, citing prior engagements in North Bengal.

Banerjee said she was unaware of the meeting date and indicated that had she been informed in advance, “she would have rescheduled her itinerary”.

Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc are set to convene at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on December 6 to formulate a strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as per sources on Sunday.

“I will be visiting North Bengal from December 6- December 11. I was not aware of the meeting date on December 6. Had I known about the meeting date beforehand, then I could have rescheduled my visit,” Banerjee told reporters outside Raj Bhawan.

The participation of any other leader from the party at the meeting remains unclear at this point.

Banerjee, accompanied by her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, has consistently attended previous meetings of the INDIA opposition bloc.

During the anticipated meeting on Wednesday evening, leaders are expected to deliberate and finalise their plan to collectively confront the BJP in the lead-up to the polls.