West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee should lead INDIA, says Lalu Prasad

Patna: Barely 17 months after opposition parties unsuccessfully united to challenge the entrenched NDA in New Delhi, a rift emerged within the INDIA bloc over its leadership. RJD president Lalu Prasad on Tuesday openly sided with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, days after she expressed her desire to lead the coalition. This leadership tussle coincided with the Congress's poor performance in Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections.

Lalu, speaking to reporters in Patna, said Mamata should lead the INDIA bloc. "Congress's objection means nothing. We will support Mamata... She should be given the leadership (of the INDIA bloc)," Lalu said. Asked specifically about Congress's objection to Mamata's leadership, Lalu said, "Congress ke aapati jatane se nahin hoga." Lalu's endorsement of Mamata comes amid next year's assembly elections in Bihar.

Lalu's support followed similar praise from NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who described Mamata as a "capable"

Meanwhile, Lalu's son and leader of opposition in state assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, expressed a more cautious stance. "We have no issue with Mamata leading the bloc, but keeping in mind there are so many senior politicians in the anti-BJP coalition, there is a need to sit together and take a collective decision on choosing a leader," he said.

Congress's Bihar media in-charge, Rajesh Rathorre, downplayed the leadership dispute. "The leadership is no issue and the opposition parties will sit together and decide the issue," he said.

State Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, however, questioned Mamata's national stature. "Mamata is an important leader of the INDIA bloc, but her party is limited to Bengal only… she doesn't enjoy national stature," he said.


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