New Bengal Congress chief's big hint for Trinamool: 'Our doors are open'

Subhankar Sarkar, the new president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, highlighted that the coalition dynamics differ at the state and national level.

In Short

• Subhankar Sarkar takes over from Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as Bengal Congress chief
• Sarkar says he aims to strengthen Congress in Bengal
• Adhir Ranjan resigned after losing 2024 Lok Sabha election from Baharampur

Subhankar Sarkar, the new president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, has said he would keep the doors open for the party's allies, hinting at diffusing the tensions with Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress.

Speaking to India Today TV, Sarkar, who replaced veteran leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, explained the coalition dynamics on state and national level.

"This is not new for us. Even when the Left used to rule Bengal, we used to have friendly relations with them at the Centre and but used to compete here. Every political party, including the Congress, thinks about how to further their influence in a state," he said.

Notably, the ties between the Congress and Trinamool Congress nosedived with Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury at the helm. The Mamata Banerjee-led party had even blamed him for the failed alliance talks with the Congress.

"What Adhir Chowdhury ji did was right. He tried to strengthen the party in Bengal. He protested against the atrocities on our cadre," said Sarkar.

However, he highlighted that the coalition dynamics differ at the state and national level.

"To fight BJP and RSS ideology, different political parties united under one umbrella - INDIA. The INDIA bloc's ideology is different. Statewise, the equations differ. (Ahead of Lok Sabha election) We allied with CPM and invited Trinamool Congress for talks. But they declared their candidates on all 42 seats in Bengal," Sarkar said, emphasising that every party wants to have a strong presence in states.

"Congress has always kept its door open. It is for the betterment of the nation," he added.

As Bengal Congress chief, Sarkar said his aim would be to strengthen the party in the state.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who had lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to TMC candidate Yusuf Pathan from his home turf Baharampur after five consecutive terms, had resigned as the president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee after the Parliamentary polls and the process of appointing a new chief of the state unit was underway.

Speaking about the appointment of Sarkar, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "I don't want to say anything. Anyone can become the president. The party high command has the right to choose the state party president."