Kolkata: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appointed Subhankar Sarkar as president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, replacing Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as the party's Bengal unit chief. Sarkar, who had earlier held the position of All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary responsible for Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Mizoram, has been entrusted with the task of rejuvenating the party in West Bengal.
Chowdhury’s relationship with the Congress command soured in recent times over his opposition to Congress High Command's move to get close to the TMC. His remarks against the TMC and its chief Mamata Banerjee were cited as the reason by Trinamool for seat-sharing talks with the Congress failing in Bengal. The process of selecting a new chief was initiated after Chowdhury's resignation, with the Congress leadership gathering feedback from state leaders to ensure a balanced approach in relations with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) at both national and state levels.
Hon'ble Congress President has appointed Shri Subhankar Sarkar as the President of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect. pic.twitter.com/8fIrDCVlN3
— INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) September 21, 2024
As part of the transition, he has been relieved of his responsibilities as AICC secretary. Following his appointment, Sarker stated that the state Congress would operate according to the wishes of party workers in Bengal, emphasising that the aspirations of the people will guide the party’s future direction.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a five-time Lok Sabha MP, had resigned from his post as the West Bengal Congress president following the party's disappointing performance in the Lok Sabha elections in the state. He had lost his Baharampur seat in Murshidabad district to Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate and former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan.
Chowdhury's defeat, coupled with his vocal stance against forming alliances with the Trinamool Congress, had been a point of confrontation within the party. “The party appreciates the contributions of the outgoing PCC President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury,” the Congress said in its official statement.
Adhir Chowdhury’s opposition to the Trinamool Congress, both at the state and national levels, has earned displeasure in the party. He was at odds with the Congress high command’s stance of maintaining a more cordial relationship with the TMC. On the contrary, Sarkar is deemed as someone who can strike a balance between the ruling TMC and Congress which wants him to take measures to ease tensions and pave the way for smoother coordination between the two parties.
