BJP using central agencies as pawns: Ex-MP Abhijit Mukherjee
The Statesman | 14 June 2025
Under the blistering sun, riding an open jeep through dusty village roads, Abhijit Mukherjee, son of former President Pranab Mukherjee, unleashed a political broadside that sliced through party lines and raised eyebrows across the spectrum. Campaigning for the Congress in the Kaliganj Assembly by-election on Wednesday, Mukherjee didn’t just defend his party, he accused the BJP of playing a dangerous double game, using central agencies like the CBI, ED, NIA, and Income Tax as pawns in a larger political chessboard.
“They rush in dramatically, then fall silent. Isn’t that enough to show who’s pulling the strings? Who’s the real B-team, the C-team?” Mukherjee declared, suggesting an unholy nexus operating under the guise of investigation and enforcement. His comments, charged with both political nostalgia and renewed aggression, came as a direct rebuttal to the BJP’s claim that Congress was cutting into their vote share only to benefit Trinamul Congress.
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The statement wasn’t just a defence, it was a calculated strike, one that reframed the election not as a local contest but as a microcosm of the national political intrigue.
His remarks come at a critical juncture when the BJP has accused Congress of playing spoilsport in Bengal’s bipolar battles, thereby aiding the ruling Trinamul. But Mukherjee dismissed this line of attack as diversionary and deceitful. “Let the BJP give all the votes they have — they still can’t win here,” he quipped confidently.
A former MP from Jangipur, Mukherjee’s return to full-throated Congress campaigning is as symbolic as it is strategic.
Accompanied by former MLA Dhananjay Modak and senior Congress leader Priya Chowdhury, he traversed village after village, from Hat Gobindapur to Haldar Para — reconnecting with grassroots workers and reminding voters of his political legacy. But this time, there was no ambiguity about his position: “My biggest political mistake was leaving the Congress. I’ve admitted it, and I’ve asked for forgiveness. I am back, and I’m here to stay.”
On his much-talked-about stint with Trinamul, Mukherjee was blunt. “I was never truly involved. There was no formal induction, no structure, no protocol. Just vague WhatsApp messages from people whose authority was unclear. That’s not how I function. That’s not how my father functioned.”
The seasoned politician, who inherited both legacy and restraint, made an emotional appeal to those who had drifted away from the Congress. “Politics isn’t about ego. My father used to say, don’t let anger dictate your choices. If you left in hurt, come back. There’s still a place for you. It’s time for ghar wapsi.”
Mukherjee also acknowledged the support Congress is receiving from the Left in this election. “It’s a positive signal. People are smiling again. Those who got votes earlier may not get them now,” he said, hinting at shifting political winds in the region. Despite the undercurrents, Mukherjee insisted he isn’t contesting for position or power, just repaying a political debt. “Congress and Left workers once campaigned for me, and for my father. Today, I’m returning the favour. Wherever the party needs me, I’ll be there.”
In a race often overshadowed by muscle and money, Mukherjee’s voice is emerging as a reminder that elections are also about memory, morality, and message. And as Kaliganj heads to the polls on 19 June, it is clear that this by-election has become much more than a local contest — it’s a political litmus test, drawing lines not just between parties, but between conviction and convenience.