Kolkata, 10 September (H.S.): The Congress high command has intensified its activities in West Bengal with an eye on the 2026 Assembly elections, focusing on strengthening the organization and finalizing its electoral strategy.

According to party insiders, AICC general secretary (organization) K.C. Venugopal will arrive in Kolkata on September 11 to hold a crucial meeting with state Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar and state in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir. Senior leaders said the meeting will be “decisive” for the party’s future in Bengal.

Following this, on September 15, Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka Nasir Hussain and senior Youth Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar will interact with party workers at Ram Mohan Hall in North Kolkata. Several former Left leaders are expected to join the Congress during the event.

Under the leadership of state president Shubhankar Sarkar, significant organizational changes have been made, with the number of districts expanded from 28 to 33 to provide greater responsibility and opportunities to workers. Between September 11 and 15, central leaders will hold back-to-back meetings with district presidents and frontal organization office-bearers. During this period, a final decision on whether to continue the Congress-CPI(M) seat-sharing tradition or explore new equations, possibly with the Trinamool Congress, is expected.

State Congress spokesperson Ashok Bhattacharya said the roadmap for the 2026 Assembly elections will be finalized in these meetings. He asserted that the party would contest with “full strength and unity.”

In preparation, the state Congress has also constituted an election committee, a political affairs committee, and an executive committee. Meanwhile, its media team has launched a “media talent hunt” to build a new panel of spokespersons in Bengali, Hindi, English, and Urdu.

Party sources believe this renewed push comes at a critical juncture when the state unit remains uncertain about its future electoral partnership. While Congress has followed a seat-sharing arrangement with the Left Front since 2016, the upcoming meetings will determine whether that continues or if the party charts a fresh course. State president Sarkar clarified that the final decision on alliances will rest with the AICC leadership.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh