looking forward to a grand Opposition alliance of non-BJP parties, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely call on Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to invite her for her planned ‘federal-front’ rally in Kolkata on January 19,  in the General Election year. Mamata who had called on NCP chief Sharad Pawar last week is also likely to meet other Opposition leaders during her New Delhi visit this week.

TMC sources said that the West Bengal CM is likely to meet Sonia Gandhi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and other Opposition leaders during her three-day visit to the national Capital.

Banerjee, who was earlier seen as wary of involving the Congress in any federal coalition to take on the BJP, has in recent weeks appeared to be more open to joining hands with the national party to consolidate the Opposition forces.

Though the meeting with Sonia Gandhi has not been scheduled, but Banerjee would try to meet her and all other prominent leaders from Opposition parties during her visit.

“There could be certain circumstantial meetings with leaders of Opposition parties when Mamata Banerjee would visit Parliament on August 1. She may meet Sonia Gandhi, and also RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as he will be in Delhi during Banerjee’s visit,” said a senior TMC leader.

The West Bengal Chief Minister, who would be visiting the Central Hall of Parliament, is expected to personally invite Opposition party leaders for her rally of “federal forces” in Kolkata on January 19, 2019.

The rally will help catapult Banerjee to the centrestage of national politics and also show her capacity to unite all Opposition parties to take on the BJP in the coming lok Sabha elections, according to another TMC leader.

TMC sources also said that apart from Opposition leaders, Banerjee will also meet Ram Jethmalani, former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha and disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha during her visit. Arun Shourie, a bitter critic of the Modi Government, would meet Banerjee later in Kolkata as he would not be present in Delhi during TMC chief’s visit.

Banerjee had recently met National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on the issue of cobbling an alliance of Opposition parties to take on the BJP. Abdullah has maintained that the Congress has to be the “backbone” of the Opposition unity with its chief Rahul Gandhi at the forefront of the campaign for the 2019 lok Sabha polls.

Banerjee, who will be delivering a lecture at the conclave organised by Catholic Bishops Conference of India on July 31, is expected to attack the BJP on incidents of violence against members of minority communities.