Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s statement at an election event in West Bengal has stirred controversy, with repercussions echoing across party lines. Addressing a gathering in West Bengal on Tuesday, Chowdhury remarked that it was “better” to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) than to vote for the Trinamool Congress (TMC). His statement was captured in a video shared by BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla.
Chowdhury emphasised the importance of this election in deciding the future of the nation and urged people to vote for secular forces, stressing that voting for TMC would indirectly benefit the BJP.
“It is necessary for Congress and the Left to win. If they don't, secularism will be at stake. Voting for TMC means voting for the BJP, so it's better to vote for BJP only. Don't vote for BJP, don't vote for TMC,” Chowdhury said during a speech in Bengali.
Reacting to Chowdhury’s remark, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that, while he hadn’t watched the video, the Congress party’s primary aim is to significantly reduce the number of BJP seats in West Bengal.
The Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, swiftly responded to the controversy, accusing Chowdhury of being the “voice of the BJP in Bengal” and labeling him as the “B-team” of the BJP.
In a social media post, the TMC criticised Chowdhury for advocating support for the BJP, stating that such actions amount to betraying the interests of West Bengal. The party reiterated its commitment to combating the BJP’s influence in the state.
Meanwhile, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale also condemned Chowdhury’s remarks, emphasising the contrasting approaches of the TMC and Congress in West Bengal politics.
Amidst the political turmoil, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused Congress and CPI (M) of aiding the BJP in the state, reiterating that TMC is not in alliance with Congress in West Bengal.
With West Bengal witnessing a triangular contest between the TMC, the Congress-Left alliance, and the BJP, the political landscape is heating up as the Lok Sabha elections progress.
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