New Delhi, Mar 27: Giving a fresh momentum to the efforts by regional players to frame up a joint
electoral strategy and a new front for the general elections next year,
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee arrived here on Monday night to hold
political meetings with key opposition leaders.
According to Trinamool Congress sources, Ms Banerjee will
attend dinner meet being hosted by NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday night.
She may also meet Congress leader Sonia Gandhi but that is being described more as a courtesy call.
A Trinamool leader said: "Every meeting should not be linked to politics. Sonia Gandhi has been unwell for sometime, so it can be a courtesy call".
Ms Banerjee's arrival in the national capital for the crucial dinner meeting convened by NCP chief Mr Pawar is significant as the West Bengal Chief Minister had skipped dinner meet of 19 opposition parties hosted by Sonia Gandhi earlier this month. Instead she had nominated her party colleague Sudip Bandyopadhyay for the same.
In the last fortnight, Ms Banerjee had met Telangana Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao in Kolkata making it amply clear that she is keen to play a major role in stitching up a front against the BJP for the general elections.
In recent weeks, Ms Banerjee also increased engagements with other regional leaders including Lalu Prasad Yadav (RJD), Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi), Mayawati (BSP) and Arvind Kejriwal (AAP).
In the larger political scenario vis-a-vis formation of a new front of regional parties, the game has turned more exciting with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu deciding to quit the BJP-led NDA.
In mid-nineties, Mr Naidu had played important role in the formation of United Front which gave two Prime Ministers H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral - of course with "outside support" of the Congress. The CPI was part of both the governments with Indrajit Gupta becoming Home Minister and Chaturanan Mishra the Agriculture Minister.
According to sources, some regional parties want to keep the Congress 'out' of their scheme of things, but the likes of Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar - incidentally both former Congress leaders - and even a section of Left parties insist that no result oriented formidable opposition front can be formed without the Congress.
A section of opposition leaders are though hesitant to give 'leadership' role to Congress president Rahul Gandhi even as they all seemed to enjoy good working relations with the chairperson of Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi. UNI
She may also meet Congress leader Sonia Gandhi but that is being described more as a courtesy call.
A Trinamool leader said: "Every meeting should not be linked to politics. Sonia Gandhi has been unwell for sometime, so it can be a courtesy call".
Ms Banerjee's arrival in the national capital for the crucial dinner meeting convened by NCP chief Mr Pawar is significant as the West Bengal Chief Minister had skipped dinner meet of 19 opposition parties hosted by Sonia Gandhi earlier this month. Instead she had nominated her party colleague Sudip Bandyopadhyay for the same.
In the last fortnight, Ms Banerjee had met Telangana Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao in Kolkata making it amply clear that she is keen to play a major role in stitching up a front against the BJP for the general elections.
In recent weeks, Ms Banerjee also increased engagements with other regional leaders including Lalu Prasad Yadav (RJD), Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi), Mayawati (BSP) and Arvind Kejriwal (AAP).
In the larger political scenario vis-a-vis formation of a new front of regional parties, the game has turned more exciting with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu deciding to quit the BJP-led NDA.
In mid-nineties, Mr Naidu had played important role in the formation of United Front which gave two Prime Ministers H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral - of course with "outside support" of the Congress. The CPI was part of both the governments with Indrajit Gupta becoming Home Minister and Chaturanan Mishra the Agriculture Minister.
According to sources, some regional parties want to keep the Congress 'out' of their scheme of things, but the likes of Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar - incidentally both former Congress leaders - and even a section of Left parties insist that no result oriented formidable opposition front can be formed without the Congress.
A section of opposition leaders are though hesitant to give 'leadership' role to Congress president Rahul Gandhi even as they all seemed to enjoy good working relations with the chairperson of Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi. UNI
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