Kolkata, 5 January (H.S.): The Congress Party continues to face the fallout from the expulsion of Mamata Banerjee in 1997, according to Pradip Bhattacharya, former president of the West Bengal Congress. Speaking at an event to unveil a bust of the late Somen Mitra in Kolkata, Bhattacharya highlighted how Banerjee’s departure significantly weakened the party's base in the state, leaving it unable to recover its once-dominant position.

Bhattacharya, also a former Member of Parliament, recalled that Banerjee was ousted from the Congress under the leadership of then-state president Somen Mitra and on the directive of the party’s national leader at the time, Sitaram Kesri. “I had warned Somen against this decision, but the high command’s pressure was overwhelming,” he said, emphasizing the lasting repercussions of that move.Banerjee went on to form the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 1998, a party that dismantled the 34-year rule of the CPI(M)-led Left Front in 2011 and has since established a firm grip on the state’s political landscape.Bhattacharya, who led the state Congress between 2011 and 2014, believes unity and adherence to central leadership directives are the keys to regaining lost ground. “To rebuild our strength, we must work together under the guidance of leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge,” he told reporters on Sunday.However, Bhattacharya’s comments have sparked controversy, both within the Congress and across the political spectrum. Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised questions about the timing of the remarks, hinting at a possible connection to the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.Leaders from the Trinamool Congress were quick to weigh in. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh agreed with Bhattacharya’s assessment, adding, “The Congress’s alliance with the Left Front in Bengal only hastened its decline.”The remarks have added to the challenges faced by the Congress in West Bengal, where it struggles to regain relevance amid a political arena dominated by the TMC and BJP.

Hindusthan Samachar / SP Singh