18-May-2024 05:44 PM
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Kolkata, May 18 (Reporter) West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday said he is the foot soldier of the party and cannot join forces with someone trying to destroy the party (Congress) in the state.
Five-time MP from Baharampur in Murshidabad, seeking
re-election in the current Lok Sabha poll for the sixth straight time,
Chowdhury said whilst asked in response to party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge's statement that " It is high command to decide on Mamata Banerjee's inclusion in the INDI Alliance and not Chowdhury. "
Chowdhury on Friday said he did not trust Mamata Banerjee and that she can even go with BJP if it wins.
Chowdhary also accused Mamata Banerjee of "breaking up the alliance".
Chowdhury's comment happened a day after Trinamool Congress
chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in an an electioneering said she would provide "outside support" to the INDIA bloc if it wins Lok Sabha election.
She also said her party also
can join the block in forming the government in another meeting, he stated.
She said the INDI Alliance she has built and her party has alliance
in Delhi but not with the Congress and Left in West Bengal, Chowdhury further stated.
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge while addressing a
joint media briefing of the INDI block in Mumbai said in 2004 the
Left supported the
UPA government from outside and now Mamata Banerjee said her party may
give support to them in the case of winning the election.
" Mamata is with the alliance and Adhir Chowdhury is no one to decide.
We are high Command and we take the decision and everyone to follow
and if
anyone cannot follow he can get out, " Kharge said when questioned
about Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's version of not trusting Mamata Banerjee.
Chowdhury on Saturday said his opposition to Banerjee was not personal
and his comment was for party interest.
" I cannot join forces with someone who is trying to destroy my party
in the state, " Chowdhury continued.
" My fight is ethical for being a foot soldier and not a personal
interest. My stand is to protect my party in Bengal as I am foot
soldier
of the Congress and cannot stop my fight, " Chowdhury said.
In the ongoing Lok Sabha poll, Congress and CPI(M) have electoral
understanding and divided 42 seats among them to be
contested jointly after Mamata Banerjee decided her TMC will go alone
in West Bengal...////...