New Delhi: Two days later, another Yadav jumped into the Bengal poll fray. SP’s Akhilesh Yadav vowed to support Mamata, offering his party’s support in campaigning for her. And 24 hours later, the Congress’ two allies in Maharashtra — Shiv Sena and NCP — joined in with their endorsement of Mamata.

Mamata Banerjee on the other hand is the undisputed face of the party — both in Bengal and across the nation. Her leadership as well as her chosen successor is virtually unchallenged. More importantly, Mamata has delivered where Rahul has failed time and again — leading her party to victory in two Assembly elections and to a dominant haul of seats in the two Lok Sabha elections.

If Mamata somehow manages to become a giant killer and thwart the might of the formidable BJP poll juggernaut, is she then the preferred choice to take on the Prime Minister in 2024? After all, the parallels between the political careers of Modi and Mamata are undeniable. Both are grass root leaders, who toiled and fought for years to reach the top and then rule their respective States for over a decade, eclipsing all opposition within the party.