"Better Late Than Never": Mamata Banerjee On INDI Alliance Seat-Sharing Talks; Supports Expelled TMC MP Mahua Moitra

Talking to the media on Monday (18 December), West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee responded to a question on seat-sharing talks in INDI Alliance and said, "Better late than never."

Banerjee was asked by a journalist that she had expressed the desire to conclude seat-sharing talks for the opposition bloc by 15 October, responding to which she said it is better done late, than never being done.

She denied commenting on the question of whether the Congress should have treated its allies better in the recently-held assembly elections in five states.

On being asked about her delayed response on cash-for-query allegations against TMC MP Mahua Moitra, Banerjee said, "Party was taking care of her. Why should I take care of everything, it is a big party."

Expressing her full support to Moitra, the TMC supremo said, "When they finally expelled her, without taking her opinion, then I stood strongly."

However, the West Bengal CM didn't confirm her candidature from Krishnanagar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and said it will be decided by the poll committee.

On the question of future alliance with the Congress in West Bengal, Banerjee said, "Somebody must bell the cat...I don't have any problem if they have genuine things. But in West Bengal, they have only two seats. I am open to talk and discuss..."