Kolkata: In Assam, Tripura, Goa and finally in Uttar Pradesh, Trinamool Congress, in its endeavor to expand its organizational base there, has adopted the strategy of weakening Congress and roping in its leaders to the Trinamool camp. Now naturally the question arises on how far this strategy to weaken Congress in these states is ideal for the spirit of alliance politics especially when the West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo, Mamata Banerjee herself has stressed on the anti-BJP alliance for 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The results of the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections proved that without the basic organizational network it is impossible to win elections by just alluring and roping in leaders from other parties.
Before the 2021 elections, BJP roped in leaders from other parties, mainly from Trinamool Congress. However, that strategy failed to yield positive results for the saffron camp as far as the poll results are concerned. Now the same question arises on how far Trinamool Congress will be successful in its national expansion plans by just alluring leaders from other political parties especially Congress.
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The former registrar of Calcutta University, Raja Gopal Dhar Chakraborty said that although the culture of shifting political camps is rampant these days, the culture actually has its roots in northern India. "Even governments have changed in other states after a major chunk of elected representatives shifted their camps. This at times brings success easily. On Monday, state Congress president, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised the question of why Trinamool Congress is concentrating on Congress instead of BJP in the political camp shifting game. I agree with him that a bigger opposition alliance and weakening of Congress cannot go on side by side. This phenomenon is bound to raise questions on the spirit of alliance politics," Dhar Chakraborty said.
Similarly, reputed social scientist and the former principal of the then Presidency College, Dr Amal Kumar Mukhopadhyay said that undoubtedly Congress has its own weaknesses. "The factional infighting in Congress is their biggest problem. We have seen the Left Front, consisting of around 15 different political parties, being in power in West Bengal for 34 years. However, CPI(M), as the principal ally in the Left Front, never tried to weaken or rope in leaders from other parties. Only time can say whether Trinamool Congress will be ultimately successful in gaining electoral advantage through this strategy. But this culture is simply unacceptable," Mukhopadhyay said.
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However, senior Trinamool Congress leader and party MP, Saugata Roy does not find anything unethical in this strategy. "We are tinkering with Congress where they have a strong presence. But there are many places where the BJP is gaining strength just because of Congress's internal weakness. We are stepping in those pockets and trying to develop a united opposition there against BJP. It is a fact that Congress has lost its national relevance to a large extent in the last few elections. I am saying this keeping in mind the rich heritage of Congress. Currently, the most acceptable face against BJP is Mamata Banerjee. Congress should get over its own weaknesses before unnecessarily blaming Trinamool Congress," he said.
However, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member, Pradip Bhattacharya does not want to keep much importance to this trend. "Congress is like an ocean. It really does not matter for the ocean if some take away a few buckets of water. No one will be able to weaken Congress through this strategy. But obviously, we need to introspect on our internal weaknesses. But at the same time mutual faith holds the spirit of alliance politics and each party should honour that," he said.
