Mamata is chosen TMC’s parliamentary party chief

New Delhi / Kolkata, July 23: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was on Friday unanimously chosen as the chairperson of the TMC parliamentary party, setting the stage for her enhanced national profile and an opportunity to interact with top Opposition leaders ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The appointment of Ms Banerjee, who has been a seven-term MP till she became chief minister in 2011, as the chairperson of the parliamentary board came just two days after she gave the clarion call to defeat the Narendra Modi government in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Ms Banerjee is not a member of Parliament.

Announcing this at a press conference in Delhi, Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien said she has been the guiding force behind the TMC parliamentary party for a long time.

“We are just formalising a reality. Our chairperson is a seven-time Member of Parliament. She has the vision to guide the parliamentary party. She has the experience and insight. She was anyway guiding us,” he said.

The decision has been taken both at a conceptual and tactical level, the Trinamul Congress (TMC) leader said.

“She has been a call away always. We feel more empowered,” Mr O’Brien said.

He also said that all TMC MPs unanimously chose Ms Banerjee as their leader.

The development came just a day after the party national general secretary and nephew of Ms Banerjee held a meeting with the party MPs in Delhi on Thursday.

The TMC, with 22 Lok Sabha MPs, is the fourth largest party in the Lower House along with the YSR Congress Party after the BJP, Congress and DMK.

In Rajya Sabha, with 11 MPs the Trinamul Congress is the third largest party after BJP and Congress.