Mamata did not take Kharge’s name but hinted at ‘Dalit PM’ face: Cong leader

The fourth meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc touched upon the issue of the PM face as Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal threw their weight behind Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as the PM face of the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against PM Modi.

While Kharge rejected the proposal and said the focus should be on winning the elections, Congress leader PJ Joseph said Mamata did not take Kharge’s name; she only hinted that it would be good for the alliance if it projects a ‘Dalit PM’.

“She did not suggest so. While she spoke, Mamata Banerjee said that it would be good if we could project a Dalit PM. She did not say the name of any person. The matter was not discussed much because she spoke last,” the Congress leader said to news agency ANI. The Congress did not officially comment on this proposal and during the press meet following the meeting Kharge said there was no point in talking about the PM face now. “First, all of us have to win, we should think about what needs to be done for victory. Who will be PM, this will be decided later. If there are less MPs, what is the point of talking about PM. First, to increase our numbers, (by) coming together, we will try to bring majority. First we will try to win,” Kharge said.

According to insiders, Kharge shot down the idea as he never played the caste politics of a Dalit and stood for the equality that he fought for in his political career. He has been working for the poor and he never projected himself as a caste leader.

Kharge’s name as the PM face for the bloc did not go down well with JD(U) and the RJD. Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav left the meeting early without attending the press conference.

At the 4th meeting of the INDIA bloc, it was decided that the seat-sharing talks won’t be put on the backburner anymore and by the year-end, there would be some seat-sharing understanding in the states.

The UP Congress, meanwhile, urged Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Kharge to contest the Lok Sabha 2024 from the state. “Uttar Pradesh is a politically important state and Rae Bareli and Amethi have remained the strongholds of the party for long. The Gandhi family has a personal rapport with the people of these constituencies,” UP Congress president Ajay Rai said.