HT Digital,
Kolkata, Jan 25: In a recent development in West Bengal politics, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien has pointedly blamed Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the chief of the West Bengal Congress, for the breakdown of a potential alliance between their parties.
This accusation follows a statement by Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal and TMC supremo, who declared that the TMC would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha general elections in 2024 without aligning with the Congress.
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Derek O’Brien’s criticism was direct and unequivocal, attributing the failure of the alliance to three factors, all of which were Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. He accused Chowdhury of echoing the rhetoric of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), suggesting that Chowdhury’s opposition to the TMC was being orchestrated by influential figures in Delhi.
O’Brien alleged that Chowdhury had not addressed issues such as Bengal’s deprivation of central funds and had instead supported Enforcement Directorate actions against the TMC, while also holding press conferences to undermine Mamata Banerjee.
Despite these tensions, O’Brien mentioned that the TMC could still be part of the INDIA grouping, a coalition of opposition parties, after the general elections if the Congress succeeds in defeating the BJP on a significant number of seats. The TMC’s stance appears to be one of cautious openness to future collaboration based on the electoral performance of the Congress.
The Congress, on its part, seems to be taking a conciliatory approach, with Jairam Ramesh, the party’s general secretary in charge of communications, stating that the INDIA bloc cannot be imagined without Mamata Banerjee. However, O’Brien emphasized that the TMC has “turned the page,” indicating a shift away from previous cooperation with the Congress, particularly in light of Chowdhury’s repeated criticisms of Banerjee, whom he labeled an “opportunist.”
This political rift comes at a crucial time as parties gear up for the Lok Sabha elections, with seat-sharing negotiations having been a point of contention. The TMC had initially offered two Lok Sabha seats to the Congress, with the possibility of accommodating another, but this offer did not lead to a successful alliance.
As of January 25th, 2024, it is clear that the TMC plans to enter the electoral fray independently, setting the stage for a competitive political battle in West Bengal.
