Strains appeared in the fragile seams of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) with Bengal Pradesh Congress president Adhir Chowdhury declaring a “no-friendship policy” with the Trinamool Congress in his State and ridiculing Mamata Banerjee’s TMC as a party which was licking the feet of the Congress for its political survival — following survey reports that it was going to fare poorly in the forthcoming elections.
Harsh statements being hurled at the TMC apart the Congress, a la the Left Front, on Tuesday decided to stay away from the all-party meeting called by the Chief Minister to discuss ‘Bengal Statehood Day’ — which much to the chagrin of Mamata was celebrated by Governor CV Ananda Bose on June 20.
“Questions are being raised from several corners on the Congress’ stand vis a vis the TMC in Bengal ... I must clarify that they (Trinamool) will not be accommodated in Bengal … there is no question of any alliance with them in Bengal and there is no question of any alliance with the BJP in Delhi,” the PCC chief said in an apparent response to the rumblings within his State unit which on Monday night saw pro and anti-TMC groups in the Congress exchanging fisticuffs inside the PCC Bhavan.
Launching his strongest attack against the ruling party since Mamata Banerjee joining the Bengaluru INDIA meet —Chowdhury said, “The Trinamool Congress is trying to cozy up to the Congress for its own survival and not to help its cause of throwing out the BJP … they are licking the Congress’ feet in order to save themselves and no one else … the fight in Bengal against the TMC will continue with all its vehemence and in every field where it is required.”
Adhir, a strong Mamata Banerjee baiter had mysteriously fallen silent after the Bengaluru INDIA meet, incurring the ire of party grassroots led by some PCC Young Turks like Kaustav Bagchi who has a history of publicly confronting — inside the courtyard of the Calcutta High Court — senior advocates and Congress leaders like Abhishek Manu Singhvi and P Chidambaram for defending the TMC in the Supreme Court regardless of the Congress’ bitter turf war with it on the issues of rampant corruption.
Chowdhury’s latest outburst against Mamata and her party is seen by critics as a ploy to stem the anger in the party rank and file. Rumblings within the Pradesh Congress had been getting louder with Bagchi openly challenging the national leadership’s decision to include Mamata who has “systematically destroyed our party in Bengal and whose men have murdered and looted the houses of grassroots workers” — in the INDIA alliance.
He also criticized Chowdhury in public for submitting to Mamata’s shrewd politics “just for the sake of a bungalow in Lutyens’ Delhi.