After KCR’s pitch, Mamata calls up Stalin for ‘third front’

Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has warmed up to DMK working president MK Stalin, pitching the idea of floating a third front of regional parties against the BJP and possibly the Congress. 

Banerjee apparently spoke to Stalin over phone late on Sunday, barely an hour after the latter hosted Congress leader Renuka Chowdry who was in town to attend the women’s wing meeting of his party. 

Banerjee reached out to the DMK working president close on the heels of Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao proposing the idea of floating a third front sans BJP and Congress. The idea was seconded immediately by All India Majlis-e-Ilttehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi and actor politician Pawan Kalyan. 

Significantly, TMC MP Derek O Brien on Monday confirmed the conversation between his leader and the DMK working president before dismissing speculation that the Congress would be kept at bay. 

The TMC MP who was outspoken enough to admit that his boss and WB chief minister had also spoken to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on the issue, revealed that his leader had suggested the need for the regional parties, particularly their parties, which jointly account for over 70 seats, to work together.

When contacted, a reticent DMK principal headquarters secretary Duraimurugan said, “I am in Katpadi. I heard about such a conversation only through reporters. I will be able to confirm only in the morning.” However, other party sources said the conversation indeed took place, but Stalin was non-committal on the formation of the third front. 

Notably, DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, who brought Renuka Chowdry to the women’s wing headed by her, has been making a strong push for continuing with the Congress for the ensuing Lok Sabha election. 

The sudden connect between DMK and TMC might have lifted the hopes of a few CPI(M) leaders who have been persuaded even by their fellow comrades to learn the lessons from Tripura and join the non BJP combination headed by  the Congress.