Mamata finds support amid rift in Oppn bloc

PATNA: Two key constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) backed West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday to head the Opposition coalition, adding to the growing call for a shake-up within the bloc that did well in the Lok Sabha polls but has flagged since.

- Anirban Guha Roy

Earlier in the day, LoP Rahul Gandhi told a group of party lawmakers not to pay attention to what second-rung leaders of the INDIA group parties are saying and said that the Congress is capable of handling the issues in the alliance.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar chief minister, Lalu Prasad dismissed the Congress's objection to Banerjee and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) parliamentarian Sanjay Raut indicated that his party was open to discussing the idea.

"The Congress's objection on West Bengal chief minister proposing to head the INDIA bloc has no meaning. It cannot do anything," Prasad said in Patna. Asked specifically whether the command of the INDIA bloc should be given to Banerjee, Prasad replied in the affirmative. "She should be given the charge of leading the bloc," he said.

Raut indicated that his party was open to discussing if someone outside the Congress wanted to lead the bloc. "All constituents of the alliance are willing to have a discussion on the issue," he told reporters, while reacting to Prasad's comment.

TMC Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee, who has been persistently batting for the Bengal chief minister, saying she is the fittest person to lead the opposition alliance, welcomed Lalu Prasad's remark.