Mamata Banerjee asks Trinamul leaders to 'go ahead' on Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's turf
Telegraph | 21 January 2024
Mamata Banerjee on Friday asked Trinamul leaders from Murshidabad to go ahead with robust political activities to ensure the party’s victory in all three Lok Sabha seats in the district, including Behrampore, where Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is the Congress MP.
A source in Trinamul said Friday’s diktat from the Trinamul chairperson, in a closed-door meeting at her Kalighat residence, cleared the air for her party colleagues in Murshidabad, who were unsure if they had to leave Behrampore for INDIA constituent Congress.
“No one is a factor in Murshidabad. If you all fight together... Trinamul will win all the three seats in Murshidabad. Just ignore him (Chowdhury) and strengthen party organisation in the district,” a Trinamul leader present at the meeting quoted Mamata as saying.
“If something happens in future, we'll think about it. For now, you start hitting the streets, without giving anyone any space.” she reportedly told her Murshidabad colleagues.
Apart from around 65 leaders, including MLAs and MPs from Murshidabad, senior Trinamul leaders like national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, state president Subrata Bakshi, urban development minister and Calcutta mayor Firhad Hakim and Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam were present.
“Didi has asked Hakim and Bakshi to oversee party affairs in Murshidabad,” said a Trinamul leader.
Mamata reportedly expressed her displeasure with the Bengal Congress leadership for attacking her, though she did not name Chowdhury.
Trinamul has maintained silence on Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi.
Expressing her discontent with the state Congress and delay by the Congress central leadership over the seat-sharing pact, Mamata said her party would fight alone in Bengal's 42 seats if the Congress did not see Trinamul’s importance.
“Trinamul is one of the strongest constituents of the INDIA bloc. I gave the name INDIA. If the Congress leaders give priority to their (state) leaders in Bengal, let them. We will contest in all 42 seats,” a leader present in the meeting quoted Mamata.
A Trinamul insider said Mamata had expressed willingness to leave Behrampore and Malda South for the Congress, but it also sought Murshidabad, Jangipur, Malda North, Raiganj, Darjeeling, Purulia and Basirhat seats.
“She said there will be no alliance in Bengal if the Congress remains unreasonable,” the source said.
Chowdhury declined comments on Friday's developments.