Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has once again voiced his opposition to an alliance with the Trinamool Congress in the state, sparking internal divisions within the party. While senior Congress leaders believe in the advantages of collaborating with the Trinamool to consolidate anti-BJP votes, a faction, including Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, advocates for a tie-up with the Left, despite their zero representation in the state assembly following the 2021 elections.
Chowdhury denied knowledge of anyone “begging” for an alliance with the Trinamool, stating, “Who was begging we don’t know. We are not beggars.” He emphasized that the Congress can independently contest elections without relying on the Trinamool’s support.
Accusing Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee of hindering the alliance, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asserted, “If there is no alliance, who will be most happy today in Hindustan? If there is no alliance, PM Modi will be most happy. What Mamata Banerjee is doing is serving Modiji.”
Last week, Chowdhury had already accused Mamata Banerjee of obstructing the alliance in Bengal, suggesting that she fears facing challenges if the alliance materializes. Despite the ongoing tensions, he reiterated that the Congress has the capability to fight elections independently in Bengal.
The Trinamool, on the other hand, is growing impatient with the Congress’s reluctance to engage in seat-sharing talks, having ignored the given deadline. Mamata Banerjee has clarified that her party is not interested in conceding six seats to the Congress in Bengal. It is reported that the Congress is considering contesting in at least six seats, including Malda, Murshidabad, and the Raiganj seat.
“INDIA alliance will be present in entire India, and in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress will fight. In Bengal, it is only the Trinamool Congress that can teach the BJP a lesson. It can show the entire country the path to victory, not any other party,” Mamata Banerjee declared.
The internal strife within the Bengal Congress has led to a clear difference in stance between the state and Delhi Congress. While leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi are eager to cooperate with the Trinamool Congress for a robust INDIA alliance, the state Congress in Bengal, according to Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, is acting as BJP agents.
“There is a clear difference between Bengal Congress’s stand and Delhi Congress stand. In Delhi Congress, Soniaji, Rahulji, they are eager to take cooperation from Trinamool Congress to make a solid INDIA alliance. But in Bengal, the state Congress, they are playing a role of BJP agents because in 2021, it was Trinamool which fought the battle and defeated BJP,” Ghosh remarked.
As the rift intensifies, West Bengal witnesses an all-out war within the Congress, with conflicting opinions on whether to ally with the Trinamool or pursue other political strategies in the upcoming elections.
