Mamata Banerjee Formally Ditches Congress, Announces TMC Candidates For All 42 Lok Sabha Seats

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, under attack from the BJP over recent incident of Sandeshkhali, today held a massive rally in Kolkata’ Brigade Ground where she announced names of TMC candidates for all 42 Lok Sabha seats, formally ditching the Congress-led INDIA bloc. The rally, where thousands of people gathered in support of the TMC, was also a show of strength by the fiery leader. During the rally, Banerjee not only slammed the BJP but also reiterated that she won't allow the Central government to implement the NRC.  

The central focus of the rally was around the claimed retention of the state's financial dues by the central government, a contentious matter that has been an important issue in state politics over the last two years. 

TMC’s First List Out

CM Banerjee declared the party's nominees for all 42 parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal. Visuals from the Brigade Ground showed a massive crowd at the rally where Abhishek Banerjee was also present. The TMC has already made it clear that it won’t form an alliance with the Congress or CPI, leaving the INDIA bloc’s Bengal aspirations in a lurch.  The party fielded Biplab Mitra from the Balurghat constituency. Betting big on cricketers this time as well, Mamata Banerjee announced to field Yusuf Pathan from the Berhampur (Berhampore) seat. 

Meanwhile, Cooch Behar is to be represented by Jagdish Basunia, Alipurduar by Prakash Baraik. Nirmal Chandra Roy  is pitched from Jalpaiguri and Gopal Lama from Darjeeling.  Krishna Kalyani is contesting from Raiganj. Malda North is given to Prasun Banerjee while Malda South to Shehnewaz Rahman. 

लोकसभा चुनाव के लिए सीएम ममता करेंगी आज उम्मीदवारों का ऐलान #MamataBanerjee #TMC #Election2024 #Politics | @Chandans_live @anchorjiya @somit_123_com pic.twitter.com/GKDkgf62l9

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) March 10, 2024

One Of A Kind Rally 

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee announced the rally named 'Jana Garjan Sabha,' from his ‘X’ handle. This is a one of a kind gathering featuring three platforms, including a cross ramp, making it viable for the speakers to reach closer to the public, while walking on the ramp. Mamata and Abhishek are among the primary speakers for the TMC.

জনগর্জন সভা- ব্রিগেড গ্রাউন্ড, ১০ মার্চ, ২০২৪ | Jonogorjon Sabha - Brigade Ground, 10th March, 2024 https://t.co/vev2eq5yjQ — All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) March 10, 2024

Politics Over Years At Brigade Parade Ground 

This marks the party's inaugural large-scale gathering at the ground since the opposition meeting in January 2019, where leaders from 19 opposition parties were gathered united in a show of solidarity. Despite the TMC's grassroots organisation, its seat count decreased from 34 to 22 in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, while the BJP performed strongly, securing 18 seats in the state. 

Since the 2021 assembly polls, the ruling party in the state has witnessed eight MLAs and two MPs switching sides to join the TMC.