'Ladaku sipahi,' says Kharge as Adhir Ranjan steps up attack on Mamata

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday called West Bengal Congress chief and Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury a "combative soldier" or "ladaku sipahi". The praise for Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury came days after Kharge snbbed the West Bengal Congress president for questioning the trustworthiness of Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee. 

Last week, Kharge snubbed Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury over his remarks regarding Mamata Banerjee. "I do not want to speak about an individual. He is a combative soldier of the Congress party and is our leader in West Bengal," he told news agency PTI about Chowdhury.

Kharge was replying to a question on whether the Congress was making the same mistake it had made with Mamata Banerjee in 1998 when she quit the party to form her own outfit due to its coyness in the face of Left "atrocities" on the then Congress cadres in the state. 

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, on the other hand, has only intensified his offensive against Mamata Banerjee as he alleged that she has been trying to finish his political career. He further alleged that Banerjee also used violence to crush the Congress in the state and has been helping the BJP. 

Kharge also said that TMC are trying to present the issue of the Congress' alliance with the Left but that would be of no use. "What has happened in West Bengal is that the Congress high command has taken a decision to have a coaltiion with the Left and we are moving forward with that," Kharge said. 

Kharge asserted that Chowdhury is no one to take a decision on whether Banerjee should be a member of the INDIA alliance or not. He further said that the West Bengal Chief Minister is very much a part of the INDIA alliance. 

"Mamata Banerjee is with the alliance. She has recently said that she will join the government. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not take that decision. The decision will be taken by me and the high command and those who don't agree will go out," Kharge asserted while speaking at a press conference with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar. 

The remark riled up Chowdhury and his supporters in Bengal. After this, Adhir Ranjan took a not-so veiled dig at Mamata Banerjee and said that he cannot support a person "who wants to finish me and our party in Bengal politically." He further said that he does not want the Congress to be used for Mamata Banerjee's personal agenda. 

"I cannot speak in favour of someone who wants to finish me and our party in Bengal politically. This is a battle for every Congress worker. I have spoken on their behalf. I don't want the state Congress to used for her (Banerjee's) personal agenda and then finish the organisation," he said. 

Mamata Banerjee, who initially said that she will extend outside support to the INDIA bloc after it comes to power , later said that she is a part of the opposition alliance at the national level and would form the next government with it. She, however, alleged that the state units of the CPI(M) and Congress have joined hands and helped the BJP in the state.