The front-page of Trinamul Congress’s Bengali mouthpiece on Friday carried a speech by a party MP who said Rahul Gandhi couldn’t become the alternative face to Narendra Modi and the entire nation wanted Mamata Banerjee.

MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s punch was part of an article laid out under a screaming headline in large, black and red font in Jago Bangla. The article read: “Rahul Gandhi pareynni Mamatai bikawlpo mukh (Rahul Gandhi was unable, only Mamata is the alternative face)”. The piece highlighted the key content of the speech delivered by Bandyopadhyay, Trinamul’s leader in the Lok Sabha, at a two-day meet of party workers which ended on Thursday.

“We are never suggesting an Opposition alternative by excluding the Congress. But Rahul Gandhi is yet to be able to become the alternative face to Narendra Modi. The alternative face in the nation in Mamata Banerjee,” began the article.

The piece does carry the disclaimer that it was not a decision of Trinamul, but only the stand taken by some leaders at the workers’ meeting.

Although Mamata, during her tour of Delhi in July, visited interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s residence and met both the mother and the son there, doubts have remained on the Bengal chief minister’s perspective on the Wayanad MP and his leadership in the non-BJP space.

“I have known Rahul Gandhi for a long time. But I am compelled to say this, that he has not been able to become the alternative face to Narendra Modi. The entire nation wants Mamata,” said Bandyopadhyay.

The Congress’s leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said it was “way too early” for such forecasts or speculation, warning Mamata and her party of eroding their credibility by repeatedly making such assertions at this stage. “She keeps saying everywhere that the Opposition alliance’s face will not be decided now. In Delhi, her party participates in the meetings of the national (non-BJP) alliance. Here, they are going on and on about Mamata supposedly being that face.”

Plea against ED

Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira on Friday approached Delhi High Court, praying for quashing of the summons by the Enforcement Directorate to them to appear in New Delhi.

The duo sought the court’s directives that they be examined in Calcutta in accordance with the law of the land.

“There is a serious apprehension about the fairness of the investigation being conducted by the ED, New Delhi, which is a department under the central government, and it is evident this agency is being used to intimidate, threaten, coerce and attempt to falsely implicate them,” said their lawyer Rupin Bahl.