NEW DELHI: After Chowdhury’s resignation, the party is focusing on reorganising its state unit in West Bengal, as well as considering forming an alliance with Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress.
Earlier this week, a significant political development took place in West Bengal as Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the former leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and a senior Congress leader, resigned from his position as president of the Bengal Congress. Following his resignation, Congress is now focusing on reorganising and strengthening its presence in the state. Additionally, the party is considering forming a state-level alliance with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee. This potential alliance suggests a strategic move by Congress to collaborate with a major regional party in West Bengal, potentially consolidating votes and countering the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2026 Assembly elections. This development indicates a shift in political dynamics and the Congress’s efforts to regain influence in the state.
A source within the Congress said that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) is working to develop a new organisational structure and a roadmap with the upcoming election in mind. The source mentioned that the party might reassess its position regarding TMC in West Bengal. During a meeting with K.C. Venugopal, AICC General Secretary (Organisation), state leaders indicated that the decision on Chaudhary’s successor in the state now rests with the party high command. They also requested the establishment of new committees at the block level and the inclusion of fresh faces from the grassroots.
A senior Congress leader said, “Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s departure as state president will create a significant void. He was the last person firmly opposing both, TMC and the BJP. Despite the pressure from national leadership, he remained steadfast in his anti-TMC stance. I’m uncertain whether AICC will be able to find a suitable replacement for him.”
A political analyst who closely monitors Bengal politics, noted the impact of Chowdhury’s departure on the West Bengal Congress leadership. He said that with Chowdhury’s exit, AICC might reconsider its approach towards TMC led by Mamata Banerjee. Under Chowdhury’s leadership, West Bengal Congress maintained a strong opposition to the TMC, even though both parties were part of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance. The analyst suggested that Chowdhury’s resignation could allow AICC to potentially soften its stance towards TMC, which might lead to shifts in political strategy and alliances in the state. However, finding a suitable successor for Chowdhury as state Congress President is likely to be challenging due to the complexities of state politics and the need to reconcile various interests within the party and the broader opposition coalition.
AICC Bengal in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir informed reporters, “As you’re aware, after the Lok Sabha results, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury submitted his resignation to the high command. We held discussions on Bengal and conducted one-on-one meetings with 25 leaders. The conversations focused on what needs to be done before the 2026 Assembly polls. A roadmap, including a new party structure, will now be created.”
Alok Sharma, Congress national spokesperson, said that the party’s high command will determine who will be the next leader of Bengal Congress.
He also mentioned that while there is already an alliance with the Trinamool Congress at the national level, the state party will decide later on their stance regarding TMC, as there are no upcoming elections at either the state or national level.
On the other hand, TMC leader and Member of Parliament Kirti Azad stated that the Trinamool Congress welcomed the recent development. He remarked, “He should have been ousted earlier. Didi (Mamata Banerjee) had offered to meet with Congress ahead of the elections to discuss seat-sharing, but it didn’t happen because of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
His language has not been respectful towards the Trinamool Congress.”