TMC’s solo posture in Parliament is strategy, not a snub to the INDIA bloc

The Trinamool Congress’s decision not to sign the resolution seeking removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, which was piloted by the Congress, is not to be mistaken as a sign of divorce from the coalition of Opposition parties — the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, better known as the INDIA bloc. 

With 28 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 12 members in the Rajya Sabha, the Trinamool Congress is the third largest Opposition party in Parliament. The party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had emphasised that the TMC is not against the move seeking Mr. Birla’s ouster; however, he wanted it to be done with “restraint”, using a “constructive and calibrative” approach, and allowing the Speaker a chance to respond to the grievances.

Asserting independence

Without questioning the sincerity of the TMC’s stance, it cannot be denied that the decision was also dictated by the party’s drive to be seen standing solo, mirroring its electoral stance of contesting 294 Assembly seats on their own. It did not want to be part of the choir standing behind the Congress, allowing the lead Opposition party to play the soloist.  

At the same time, the Trinamool does not want to stand completely aloof. After all, the party will need allies when it moves an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Thus, TMC leaders attend all the INDIA bloc meetings and Mr. Banerjee can often be seen in the Parliamentary lobby, speaking to senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

The party is cognisant that harnessing Opposition to the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, is only one of the many nodes of its campaign. It has refused to make it the mainstay as the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal did in Bihar. 

Focus on Bangla identity

Given that the West Bengal Assembly election is around the corner, where the TMC has to defend its government for the fourth time in a row, the Parliament has become just another venue for its election campaign. The TMC has relied heavily on parochial identity centered around the theme of “Banglar Meye (Bengal’s Daughter)”, to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal. This campaign strategy, first prominently used in the 2021 Assembly election, was revitalised for the 2024 Lok Sabha election to frame the BJP as an “outsider” party that is hostile to Bengali culture and interests. 

Continuing with this theme, all TMC Parliamentarians have been instructed to deliver their speeches in Bangla, as far as possible. Their speeches and questions also focus largely on the dues that the Centre owes to the State, and the prejudicial treatment of the country’s Bangla-speaking population. As per their narrative, the BJP and its “divisive policies” have put every Bangla-speaking person in the crosshairs, looked at with the suspicion of being “Bangladeshi”. 

The TMC has often proclaimed that it is the only party in the INDIA bloc which has no electoral alliance with the Congress or any other constituent of the bloc, leaving it free to take independent positions without worrying about the impact on its electoral ties.