Will Contest Everywhere Required: Congress MP Snubs Mamata's 2024 proposal

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, rebuffed Mamata Banerjee's proposal for a "one on one" fight in the Lok Sabha elections, asserting that his party's influence in the TMC-ruled state of West Bengal is growing steadily. Known for his confrontational stance against the TMC supremo, Chowdhury also raised questions about Banerjee's silence on Rahul Gandhi-led Barat Jodo Yatra and her lack of support for the Congress during the Karnataka election campaign.

Chowdhury rhetorically questioned, "Did you hear Mamata Banerjee asking people to vote for Congress to defeat the BJP in the Karnataka elections?" He argued that Banerjee's recent realization that she cannot combat the BJP without the Congress came after witnessing the Congress party's victory in Karnataka. He emphasized that the Congress's strength in Bengal is increasing day by day, referring to their recent triumph in the Sagardighi assembly by-poll.

While it is true that Banerjee had appealed to the people of Karnataka not to vote for the BJP, she renewed her call for a united front against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, favoring a "one on one" fight by regional parties. Banerjee expressed her willingness to support the Congress where it holds strength, but emphasized that the Congress should reciprocate support for other political parties as well.

In response to Banerjee's statements, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury urged her to stop beating around the bush and instead meet with top Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi. He maintained that the Congress's fight against the TMC in West Bengal will persist despite any collaboration in other states.