Mamata Banerjee Suggested Priyanka Gandhi Vadra To Contest Against PM Modi In Varanasi During INDI Alliance Meet: Report

During the fourth meeting of the INDI Alliance, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reportedly suggested on Tuesday (20 December) that Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should be the candidate to contest the Varanasi seat against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In 2019, speculation grew about Priyanka Gandhi running for the Varanasi seat against PM Modi. However, this rumor was put to bed when the Grand Old Party chose Ajay Rai to contest for the high-profile seat.

Following the meeting, when inquired about Priyanka Gandhi's candidacy from Varanasi, she responded, "Ham log sab kuch nahi bataa sakte jo baat hui hai" (A rough translation of her statement implies that we cannot reveal all that was discussed in the meeting).

During the alliance's fourth gathering, TMC leader Mamata Banerjee also encouraged the members of the INDI Alliance to settle on the 'seat-sharing' arrangement by the end of 31 December 2023.

The informants concurred that the distribution of seats at the state level would be settled by December's end, with the final decision at the highest leadership level expected by the second week of January.