Mamata, Kejriwal meet in Delhi ahead of INDIA bloc huddle despite AAP's exit

The meeting comes months after AAP formally distanced itself from the opposition coalition, saying the alliance was limited to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Sharing details of the meeting on X, the Trinamool Congress said Banerjee and Kejriwal held an "extensive discussion on the road ahead" following a warm interaction.

"When the people of India unite, no force on earth can stop their march towards justice, dignity and a better future in 2029," the party said in a post on X.

The meeting assumes significance amid renewed efforts by opposition parties to coordinate strategy against the BJP ahead of upcoming electoral battles and parliamentary sessions. The INDIA bloc is scheduled to meet in New Delhi on Monday amid signs of strain within the alliance.

However, AAP has repeatedly ruled out any possibility of reviving ties with the Congress.

AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar launched a fresh attack on the Congress, saying the party's "sole aim is to strengthen itself" and that it has "no concern for the country".

"How can one stand with a party that stands against the country's youth?" Kakkar said, accusing Congress of betraying allies and contesting elections "solely to defeat the Aam Aadmi Party".

She further said there was "no justification for any kind of alliance" with the Congress and declared that "an alliance with Congress is out of the question."

The Banerjee-Kejriwal meeting is likely to fuel speculation over possible issue-based coordination among opposition parties, despite the AAP's decision to stay outside the formal INDIA bloc framework.