Mamata ‘incidental beneficiary’ of highly polarised Bengal polls: Adhir

Kolkata, Jul 08 (PTI):
Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury feels TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is an “incidental beneficiary” of the highly polarised West Bengal assembly elections and not the “only anti-Modi face” capable of taking on the BJP in the next Lok Sabha polls.
Chowdhury also defends his frequent criticism of the TMC supremo, calling it the right decision for the benefit of his party. Talking about the prospects of a broader anti-BJP coalition ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, the leader of the Congress party in the House, insists no opposition front can succeed without Congress’ participation.
“The elections in West Bengal this time were highly polarised on communal and regional identity. The people of the state who did not want the BJP en masse voted in favour of the TMC. The communal rhetoric and the threat and intimidation politics of the BJP leadership only helped Mamata Banerjee. “Without taking away the credit for the fight she put up, I would say she is an incidental beneficiary in these elections,” Chowdhury told PTI in an interview. Acknowledging that the TMC’s victory was “magnificent”, the Congress veteran, however, said many regional opposition leaders had helmed their parties to triumph over the BJP. “It’s true that she has put up a fight against the BJP and its election machinery. It’s a magnificent victory, no doubt about it. But at the same time, she is not the only regional leader who has defeated the BJP.
“Arvind Kejriwal, Lalu Prasad Yadav, M K Stalin, Pinarayi Vijayan, too, have done the same. So, saying that she is the only (credible opposition) face (who could take on the BJP’s might) would be an injustice to others,” he said. The West Bengal Congress chief rejected suggestions by a section of his partymen that he was more vocal against Banerjee than the BJP.