Thursday was an unusual day in West Bengal politics given two decisions taken by two political parties.
The Congress high command has sent MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury back to Kolkata as the party unit chief in West Bengal, after the demise of former PCC head Somen Mitra in July. Hours later, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee withdrew the lockdown on Saturday in order to allow unhindered travel to students appearing for NEET on September 13.
Adhir Chowdhury is known to be a strong “Mamata baiter” and his reappointment as PCC chief has been taken as a strong measure by Sonia Gandhi to strengthen the alliance between Congress and the Left in West Bengal for the Assembly election next year.
Chowdhury’s job is tough given the fact that Congress has lost considerable ground in Bengal. It has remained a political party effectively confined to Murshidabad and Malda districts. Murshidabad is the home district of Chowdhury, which has sent him as an MP to the Lok Sabha.
Taking charge, Chowdhury referred to the alliance with Left, noting “I have no problem. Left would have to decide what they want.”
That Banerjee did not accept such a change in the Congress was evident when she suddenly decided to withdraw lockdown a day before the NEET exam. The West Bengal chief minister had been a strong opponent of the move to hold NEET and JEE in the midst of coronavirus pandemic. In the videoconference with the opposition parties, organised with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Banerjee had proposed a joint movement against Centre’s decision of holding the central examinations. But her sudden decision is being perceived as something to do with the decision of Congress high command in Delhi. Banerjee had expected that Congress would make Pradip Bhattacharya as the Congress president of Bengal. Bhattacharya is ‘acceptable’ to many Trinamool Congress leaders in the state.
“This decision taken by her (Mamata) shows how she is whimsical. She cannot be trusted as a leader against BJP,” said a Congress leader close to Adhir.
Left leaders say they are taking all preparation to do seat adjustment with the Congress for upcoming election.
“Don’t compare the situation of 2016 (when the Left and Congress alliance saw a disastrous performance) with today. For last five years, both the parties have been working in the Assembly together and even doing joint movement outside. So this time, the alliance would be on a solid platform,” said a senior Left leader. However, the Left leader added the central committee of the Left groups would take final decision.
The appointment and resentment of Congress and TMC, respectively, on Thursday has changed the political equation suddenly.