With seasoned commanders barring a few refusing to lead the brigade in what they call a losing electoral battle, the Bengal Pradesh Congress leadership finds itself in a hopeless situation insofar as finding candidates for the upcoming lok Sabha elections is concerned.
Sources in the PCC on Wednesday said an incensed high command had finally agreed to fielding greenhorns following war veterans like Manas Bhunia, Pradip Bhattacharya and Shankar Singh's refusal to take on the Trinamool Congress in the electoral arena.
Bhunia is a former PCC president and sitting MlA from Sabong in West Midnapore while Bhattacharya too a former PCC president, is Rajya Sabha MP. Shankar Singh is the president of Nadia district Congress and a former MlA.
The party was likely to announce its candidates' list by Thursday PCC sources said adding the only reason for comfort for the top leadership was the acquiescence of artist Samir Aich to contest from all-important Jadavpur seat.
The only Congress leader who has kept the workers upbeat is Somen Mitra who resigned from Trinamool Congress following his differences with Mamata Banerjee and rejoined the Congress recently.
Mitra who "never lost a battle in my whole political career" is fighting from the Kolkata North lok Sabha seat. He is up against Trinamool heavyweight candidate Sudip Bandopadhyay the sitting MP and BJP State president Rahul Sinha. CPI(M) has fielded Kolkata Metropolitan Corporation Opposition leader Rupa Bagchi from this seat which is likely to witness a close fight.
"Though we do not have the final list with us yet there is all possibility that Samir Aich is contesting from Jadavpur which will make life difficult for Trinamool candidate Sugato Bose the grand nephew of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. He is a professor of History at the Harvard University and is facing CPI(M)'s Sujan Chakrabarty.
"Rahul Gandhi is unhappy with the way some senior leaders have given excuses to stay away from contesting. This does not augur well for the party's organisational cause as the rank and file will not find the enthusiasm to descend on the field," said a PCC member who is also contesting the elections.
With the Congress' voter percentage dipping to a frightening 6 percent from 14-15 percent in 2011, its leaders do not want to risk losing reputation in their Assembly constituencies insiders said.
"We cannot force people to fight. As the PCC president it was my duty to request the leaders to put the best put forward but they did not. Now we will have to make do with whatever resources we have," said PCC president and junior Railway Minister Adhir Chowdhury.
Meanwhile, rebel Trinamool MP from Jadavpur who was ignored by the leadership this time round said he "may file my nomination as an Independent if my health permits as no party is going to give me a ticket on my terms."