After Hug At INDIA Huddle, A Mamata Banerjee-Sonia Gandhi Meet At 10 Janpath

A day after photos of her hug with Sonia Gandhi at the INDIA bloc meeting were widely shared, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee met the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson at her residence, 10 Janpath, on Tuesday after nearly five years. 

The former West Bengal chief minister is facing a massive crisis - and her party an existential one - following the crushing defeat by the BJP last month. A section of MLAs rebelled, followed by a similar revolt by several MPs. 

The meeting between Banerjee and Gandhi led to some speculation on discussions about the future of the parties, which had often been at loggerheads despite being allies in the INDIA bloc. Experts, however, pointed out that Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was not present at the meeting, noting that no important discussions were likely to take place without him. 

At the INDIA alliance meeting, the two leaders shared an embrace and then sat next to each other. Posting a photo of the hug on X, the Trinamool Congress said it was an indicator of the long-held bond between them.

"The smiles said what words could not...a bond strengthened through decades of dedicated service to the nation. Our Hon'ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial with Sonia Gandhi Ji, today in Delhi," the party posted on X. 

During the meeting, Banerjee questioned the role of the Election Commission in the Bengal Assembly elections and emphasised the unity of the INDIA coalition.

Banerjee had founded the Trinamool Congress in 1998 after breaking away from the Congress and the two parties had joined forces to defeat the Left Front government in 2011. The alliance ended the next year, but the parties kept talking and became part of the INDIA bloc ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.