Kolkata, Jun 21 (IANS): Trinamool Congress' national general secretary and party's Lok Sabha MP, Abhishek Banerjee, will accompany West Bengal Chief Minister and party's national president Mamata Banerjee to Patna for a meeting of all opposition parties, scheduled on June 23.

Party sources said that the decision for Abhsihek Banerjee accompanying the chief minister for the meeting has been finalised by the latter on Wednesday. Both will be reaching Patna on Thursday afternoon only and on the same day the chief minister is supposed to have a meeting with former Bihar chief minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav at the latter's residence in Patna.

Sources further said Abhishek Banerjee is also likely to accompany the chief minister at a separate meeting with Yadav.

Political observers feel that development is a definite step by the chief minister to promote Abhsihek Banerjee as the face of Trinamool Congress in this grand opposition alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. This is also an indication on how seriously the Trinamool Congress supremo is viewing the opposition alliance for the big battle of 2024, feel observers.

Initially, the grand alliance meeting in Patna was scheduled on June 12. However, later it was postponed to June 23.

The meeting is happening at a time when Mamata Banerjee has already made it clear that she would not be able to provide support to Congress in West Bengal because of the latter's alliance with CPI(M)-led Left Front in the state.

On the other hand, Congress' state president in West Bengal and party's Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has claimed that Trinamool Congress will continue to be an equal opponent like BJP for Congress in West Bengal.

He had also expressed doubts that BJP is trying to implant some Trojan Horses within the opposition alliance. Chowdhury's doubts have been echoed by senior CPI(M) leaders like party's central committee member Sujan Chakraborty and party Rajya MP, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.