In an interview with The Indian Express, Chowdhury speaks of the reasons behind his loss, the dynamics of the TMC and Congress in West Bengal, and his future ahead.
AdvertisementThe ruling party in West Bengal (TMC) waged a strange campaign.
But I told them that she (West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) will not enter into an agreement till I am at the helm of the Congress in Bengal.
All the tall leaders of the Bengal Congress had gone to Delhi and attended a meeting convened by the AICC.
Since your defeat, and the poor performance of the Congress in Bengal, has any central leader spoken to you?
In a major setback to the Congress and its unit in West Bengal, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the party’s outgoing floor leader of the Lok Sabha, lost from Baharampur to the Trinamool Congress’s (TMC’s) debut face and cricketer-turned-politician Yusuf Pathan.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Chowdhury speaks of the reasons behind his loss, the dynamics of the TMC and Congress in West Bengal, and his future ahead. Excerpts:
What went wrong in Baharampur?
A defeat is a defeat. I did everything I could, but I could not succeed. I have won the seat five times. I am hearing the BJP polled more votes this time.
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The ruling party in West Bengal (TMC) waged a strange campaign. They imported someone from outside — I do not have any objection to that — but he (Pathan) came and started telling minorities to vote for ‘bhai’ and not ‘dada’. Dada means Hindu and bhai means Muslim.
But I don’t have any complaints against anybody. Yusuf Pathan is a good man. He did not utter a word against me… He is a sportsman and fought like one… I tried, but our fight was against the ruling party. They have the organisation, control all the panchayats and municipalities. Slowly, people were given the benefits of welfare schemes. My district is a very poor district and is the hub of migrant workers.
If a poor person gets Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200, it is a big relief for them, especially women. And they said in the campaign that if the TMC candidate loses, the Lakshmir Bandar scheme (for women) will be stopped. They created that fear.
But I am not saying all these as excuses. I accept the defeat unconditionally.
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The TMC has said you stood in the way of an alliance with the Congress in West Bengal…
I had told my party that I have no problem whatsoever with the party entering into an agreement with anyone. But I told them that she (West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) will not enter into an agreement till I am at the helm of the Congress in Bengal. I told the party to appoint a new person (as the state Congress chief) and talk to her directly, said I will not have any problem.
Par agar mujhe saamne rakh ke baat karoge, toh nahin hoga (But if they speak to the TMC projecting me as the face of the party, there would be no agreement).
All the tall leaders of the Bengal Congress had gone to Delhi and attended a meeting convened by the AICC. Almost all of them, except one or two, said that an alliance with the TMC would not be appropriate. So, it was not me alone. However, now the blame is being put on me.
Since your defeat, and the poor performance of the Congress in Bengal, has any central leader spoken to you?
Not so far. Let me go to Delhi, there will be a discussion. I know our leader Rahul Gandhi has enquired about me…
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The Congress central leadership did not campaign much in Bengal.
Because our winnability was more in other places. It was part of a strategy. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge came to Malda. Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra passed through my district. Why should we call them again and again? The strategy is decided by the AICC.
Kharge came to Malda and not neighbouring Baharampur?
So what? Rahul ji wanted to come, it is not that he did not want to come. I did not request him to come to my constituency in advance. I made the request at the last minute. I wanted him to come on May 10 but he had some pre-scheduled programmes on that day. He wanted to come on May 11… It is not right to suggest that they did not want to come. The way Rahul Gandhi fought and worked hard to save our country, and preserve secular and democratic forces, it was a Herculean task. Today, he has achieved success.
What are your plans going forward?
I will continue to do what I have been doing. I am a politician, I have never indulged in corruption or scams. So I do not have much money. Mera har paristhiti main chalne ka aadat hai (I carry on irrespective of the circumstances). I am not a five-star politician, I am a low-star politician.
