National Desk, 28th February: Koustav Bagchi, the leader of West Bengal Congress, tendered his resignation from the party on Wednesday. He cited the party’s top leadership’s inclination towards cozying up to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) rather than bolstering the state party unit as a primary reason for his departure. There are speculations that Bagchi might align with the BJP ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Last year, Bagchi, a lawyer, gained attention when he was detained by the police for criticizing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In a symbolic gesture, he shaved his head, vowing to remain bald until the TMC administration was ousted from Bengal.
Bagchi disclosed that he submitted his resignation letter to Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC), and the Congress high command. In his resignation letter, he lamented the loss of credibility within the party and emphasized the diminishing importance of the Pradesh Congress committee in West Bengal.
Expressing his discontent, Bagchi pointed out the Congress high command’s tacit acceptance of the Trinamool Congress as its West Bengal unit. He criticized the party’s focus on fostering camaraderie with the TMC over strengthening its state unit.
Bagchi also raised concerns about the Congress high command’s silence regarding the Sandeshkhali issue, underscoring his disillusionment with the party’s stance on critical state matters.
Following his detention last year for criticizing Mamata Banerjee, Bagchi emerged as a vocal opponent of the TMC administration. He has frequently shared platforms with Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition, amplifying his dissent against the ruling party’s policies and actions.