'Not aware': Mamata Banerjee to skip upcoming INDIA bloc meeting

Banerjee, who said the Congress lost the recent state elections due to a lack of seat-sharing arrangements with other INDIA members, has a pre-scheduled programme in north Bengal on that day.

"I am not aware about this (the meeting). That's why I have already scheduled a programme in north Bengal. I have a seven-day programme there. Had I known, would I have kept this programme? I would have surely gone for it. But because we have no information, I am going for the north Bengal tour," she said.

Her party Trinamool Congress may also skip the meeting, media reports said.

File image of Mamata Banerjee in INDIA bloc meet

After Mamata Banerjee's announcement, Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said that the meeting was an "informal" one.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge Sunday called for the next meeting of the INDIA opposition bloc to be held in Delhi on Wednesday.

The news comes as the party lost elections in the crucial states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. The only consolation for the grand old party was winning the state of Telangana.

The INDIA bloc meeting is being held after a gap of three months since the last one in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1.

The meeting is expected to chalk out plans for next year's Lok Sabha election.