Pathan and Lalitesh to represent TMC in Rahul’s Voter Adhikar Rally in Bihar on 1 September

The Trinamool Congress will send its representatives, cricketer-turned-MP Yusuf Pathan and Lalitesh Tripathi, to Rahul’s ‘Vote Adhikar Rally’ in Bihar on September 1, organised by the Congress and RJD on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls issue.

Although part of the INDIA bloc, Trinamool leaders consistently assert that they are not political allies of the Congress. In Bengal, a coalition between the Congress and Trinamool is considered impossible, a fact that the party has reiterated multiple times.

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Whether through a separate protest on the ‘Bangla Bhasa-Bengali’ issue or strong opposition to the Constitution Amendment Bill, Trinamool maintains an issue-based coordination with the Congress in Parliament. Its distinct position within the INDIA bloc has already been clearly articulated.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha are expected to attend the Bihar rally. Political circles believe the Trinamool Congress will maintain coordination by sending representatives.

It has been reported that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will not be able to attend the Bihar rally due to health issues and, like the Trinamool, is expected to send a representative. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal will also not be present. There is uncertainty over whether the AAP will send a representative, as the party is no longer part of the INDIA bloc and prefers to maintain distance from the Congress.

During the Monsoon session of Parliament, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had personally extended an invitation to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee to participate in the Voter Adhikar Rally in Bihar. Though unable to attend due to prior commitments in Bengal, Abhishek, the Trinamool Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, had confirmed that the party would send representatives. Accordingly, the party will be represented by Baharampur MP and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan and Trinamool leader from Uttar Pradesh Lalitesh Tripathi.