In Congress and CPI(M)'s Joint Nyay Yatra Show in Bengal, a Missive to Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata: Top leaders from West Bengal Communist Party of India (Marxist) joined Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Murshidabad on February 1 even as the Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee once again blamed the Congress leadership for a pre-poll tie-up failure between the two INDIA bloc parties.
On the 19th day of the Yatra, Gandhi received a grand welcome from the Congress supporters while CPI(M) supporters were seen carrying the party’s red flags and shouting slogans for Rahul.
CPI(M)'s West Bengal state secretary Mohammed Salim and its central committee member Dr Sujan Chakraborty joined the rally at Baharampur. “We have joined the Yatra to be a part of the fight for justice," Chakraborty said.
The CPI(M) leader also accused Banerjee of trying to leave the INDIA bloc. “Many people board a train from the originating station, but one cannot say who will continue to be part of the fight against the BJP. Mamata Banerjee wants to leave the train now, and we welcome it.”
Earlier this week, Banerjee announced her decision to go it solo in the state for the upcoming general elections. While the Congress central leadership has shown optimism about clinching a seat-sharing arrangement with TMC, the state leadership, including Pradesh Congress Committee chief Adhir Ranjan Choudhury has remained critical of Banerjee.
Left leaders with Rahul Gandhi and Adhir Chowdhury. Photo: By arrangement.
The Yatra has faced obstacles in West Bengal including vandalism of multiple posters and decorations welcoming Gandhi in the state and alleged ‘non-cooperation’ from the state administration. The government also rejected the Congress party’s appeal to let Gandhi have lunch at a government guest house in Malda, citing CM Banerjee’s visit to the town. Banerjee also held a “Jonosangjog Yatra” – a people-connect rally – along the route covered by Gandhi a day before.
Tensions also flared around Gandhi's convoy on February 1 when a car's windshield shattered. Chowdhury quickly alleged stone-pelting in Banerjee's territory, implicating the TMC. This also resonated with other opposition parties like the CPI(M) and BJP. However, the central Congress leadership offered a different explanation and appeared to view this less as a TMC attack than the Bengal division.
Malda and Murshidabad – two districts with a high Muslim population had once been the Congress's traditional bastion. As leader of the party in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Chowdhury is a sitting MP of Baharampur Lok Sabha seat. The other Congress MP from the state, Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, has been winning the Malda Dakshin seat since 2009. TMC sources claim that these were the two seats offered by Banerjee during the discussion on seat-sharing which the state Congress rejected. While Congress drew a blank from these districts in the 2021 assembly election – a fact used by Trinamool Congress as an explanation for its two-seat offer – the party did improve its performance in the 2023 panchayat elections.
On February 1, Rahul Gandhi interacted with beedi workers at Dhulian, a crucial voter demographic in Murshidabad and listened to their concerns. There are about 17 lakh beedi workers in the district – mostly concentrated in Jangipur region – a seat Congress is eyeing to regain. Gandhi promised to personally address the plight of women beedi workers if the anti-BJP alliance comes to power.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is scheduled to Birbhum's Rajgram from Murshidabad today. However, the district administration had dithered with permission for the Yatra citing the state board examination. The Yatra is expected to enter Jharkhand from Rajgram in Birbhum later today.
Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.
This article went live on February second, two thousand twenty four, at thirty minutes past one in the afternoon.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
