Jaya Bachchan Meets Mamata in Kolkata Amid Opposition Buzz
The visit assumes significance as it comes days after senior Samajwadi Party leader Kiranmoy Nanda, during a visit to Kolkata, held Banerjee responsible for the TMC's defeat in the polls and remarked that "people did not want Mamata Banerjee" for a fourth consecutive term.
By : PTI
Update: 2026-07-02 16:30 GMT
Kolkata: Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan on Thursday called on former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence here, amid continuing political chatter over opposition realignments following the Trinamool Congress' defeat in the recent assembly polls.
The visit assumes significance as it comes days after senior Samajwadi Party leader Kiranmoy Nanda, during a visit to Kolkata, held Banerjee responsible for the TMC's defeat in the polls and remarked that "people did not want Mamata Banerjee" for a fourth consecutive term.
His comments had fuelled speculation about the growing distance between the two INDIA bloc partners in the aftermath of the BJP's emphatic victory in West Bengal.
Seeking to play down the political significance of the meeting, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said Bachchan and Banerjee shared a long-standing personal relationship.
"Jaya Bachchan and Mamata Banerjee have known each other for a long time. Jaya Bachchan has great affection for Mamata Banerjee, and they have remained in regular contact over the years. This was a courtesy visit," TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said.
Shortly after the election results, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had flown to Kolkata and met Banerjee at her residence, in a gesture widely seen as an expression of solidarity with the TMC supremo following the party's electoral setback.
Political observers said Bachchan's visit suggested that communication channels between the two opposition parties remained open despite recent public criticism from sections of the Samajwadi Party leadership.
The meeting also drew a sharp reaction from the ruling BJP in the state.
Senior BJP leader and West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul questioned the present state of the TMC amid the party's ongoing internal turmoil.
"Anybody can come to Mamata Banerjee's house. It is their democratic right, under the freedoms of speech and movement. But right now, I don't know whether the TMC actually exists. The TMC has broken into fragments, and we can't even count how many fragments there are in the state or in Delhi," Paul said.
It is not known where the party stands, even inside the West Bengal Assembly, she said.
"We are genuinely confused about who the real TMC is, who is Team B, and who is Team C. We are not bothered about Jaya Bachchan Ji visiting Mamata Banerjee's house. What concerns us is the fate of the TMC," the minister added.
The TMC has been witnessing internal strife since its defeat in the assembly elections, with rival factions staking claim to the party's leadership and organisational structure, leading to a prolonged political and legal battle over control of the outfit.
Against this backdrop, Bachchan's meeting with Banerjee is likely to be closely watched for any indication of future opposition coordination, even as TMC leaders insist that the visit was purely personal in nature.