Adhir Chowdhury’s elevation changes equations in WB INC

With Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury at the helm of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, equations are changing in the Bengal unit of the party.

Prior to Chowdhury’s elevation, the highest rank-holder in the party from the state was always the state president. Even during their tenure as Union ministers Pranab Mukherjee and Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi also headed the Congress' Bengal unit.

With Chowdhury having an upper hand, it will not be possible for state Congress president Somen Mitra to overlook Chowdhury's views regarding any important moves of the state Congress.

Party sources revealed that while it will be difficult for Chowdhury to balance his role in the state unit and at the national level, Mitra may have to take a back seat to avoid two centres of power in the Bengal Congress.

"Several state leaders who had criticised Chowdhury during his tenure as the party's state president (2014-2018) are now reconsidering their views. Chowdhury’s rise has also boosted the possibility of an alliance between the Congress and the Left Front in the next Assembly elections,” a senior state Congress leader said.

The sources further revealed that with Chowdhury’s increased importance at the national level and his cordial relationship with the party high command, it will be easier for him to push for an alliance with the Left in the next Assembly elections.

Congress Legislative party leader Abdul Mannan, who earlier was not in good terms with Chowdhury, is also trying to break the ice.

Although Mitra is not averse to an alliance with the Left, it did not materialise under his leadership as both the Congress and the Left squabbled over seat sharing during the Lok Sabha elections.

Chowdhury, on the other hand, shares much more cordial ties with the CPM, the largest constituent of the Left Front, and managed to pull off an alliance with them in the 2016 Assembly elections.

CPM workers had even actively campaigned for him during the Lok Sabha elections.

Chowdhury was removed as the state Congress president last year and was replaced by Mitra. His relationship with the state leadership got strained and he withdrew from the state unit's activities to a great extent.

The situation became such that Chowdhury refused to attend any state unit meetings unless he was officially invited by Mitra.

"I am not supposed to speak in the state unit. However, whatever I have achieved today could not have been done without Bengal. If the state leadership wants, I will definitely work for them," Chowdhury said.