Kolkata: West Bengal’s Assembly election held in April saw the BJP secure a sweeping victory and form the government. Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, which contested on its own, suffered a defeat, while the Congress won only two seats after contesting 293 constituencies independently.
Despite being part of the INDIA alliance, Mamata had been sharply critical of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and had avoided an electoral tie-up with the party, even as she maintained a friendly rapport with Sonia Gandhi.
At a recent INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi, Mamata was seen seated close to Sonia Gandhi, speaking with her at length and presenting a gift. During the meeting, she also made a quip about Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, drawing applause from leaders present.
The gathering marked the first time in four years that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee met together. Rahul reportedly addressed Mamata affectionately as “aunty” and remarked that she had lost weight, to which she responded that election campaigning had affected her health.
The exchange was viewed as a sign of a more cordial relationship, after a long period of political bitterness between the two leaders.
