Infighting in the Congress over Bangla Bandh

Arindam Sarkar

Infighting in the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee once again came to the surface. This time over a decision that State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury took without consulting his party colleagues.

It was the unilateral decision of State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury to call a Bangla Bandh on August 18 that peeved the Congress leadership. Result: the infuriated Congress leaders boycotted the bandh and stayed indoors.

While the Congress satraps of North Bengal – especially Murshidabad, North Dinajpur and Malda – made the Bangla Bandh a success, the senior leaders of South Bengal stayed away. And the Congress bandh failed to have any impact in this belt of Bengal.

Apparently, the bitterness between Congress satraps and Adhir Chowdhury began over the date on which the bandh was to be called. Initially, sources said, Adhir was interested in calling the Bangla Bandh on August 20. But he had to retract since the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi fell on that date.

Since the State Congress’ minority programme at Indoor Stadium was already scheduled on August 19, former PCC chief Manas Bhuniya requested Adhir to call the Bangla Bandh on either August 17 or August 21.

“But he refused to take our views into consideration. He took the decision alone and from New Delhi declared that the bandh would be observed on August 18. This attitude alienated the Congress leaders,” said Manas Bhuniya.

Refuting the allegation of the PCC satraps, Adhir Chowdhury said that the Congress Constitution gave power to the State president to take unilateral decisions. “I ratified my decision to hold the Bangla Bandh on August 18 from the AICC. That is enough,” said Adhir Chowdhury.

While Adhir, Deepa Dasmunshi, AH Khan Chowdhury and Mausam Benazir Noor made the Congress bandh successful in the districts of Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur and Malda, absence of former PCC chiefs Somen Mitra, Pradip Bhattacharya and Manas Bhuniya, and senior leaders Abdul Mannan and Shankar Singh crippled the bandh in South Bengal. “I made the bandh a total success in Sabong,” claimed Manas Bhuniya.

Senior Congress leaders said they did not participate in the bandh because Adhir did not consult the PCC for finalizing the decision and the date. What’s more, the Congress leaders alleged, Adhir’s call for a bandh from New Delhi instead of Kolkata was also peculiar and showed streaks of his individual style of politics.

“He did not consult us. He did not hold a formal press conference to announce the Bangla Bandh and took no initiative to involve the PCC leaders. So nobody paid any importance to his call,” said Abdul Mannan.

Criticising the non-participation of the senior Congress leaders in the bandh, Adhir Chowdhury said what emerged is not the factionalism in the party but a deliberate attempt by a section of the Congress leadership to defeat the purpose of protesting against the deteriorating law and order situation and anarchy in the State through a bandh.

“These Congress leaders are out to dilute my leadership. They would have been very happy if the Bangla Bandh had evoked no response,” alleged Adhir Chowdhury.

However, Adhir said in the coming days he would hit the streets again to protest against the atrocities perpetrated by the Trinamool Congress government in Bengal – even if it means doing it alone.