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Don't know why I was removed as West Bengal Congress chief: Adhir Chowdhury

Adhir Chowdhury says he is still in the dark about the reasons behind the change.

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Adhir Chowdhury (left) with Congress leader P Chidambaram
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Over a month after he was removed as West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president and made chairman of the party's campaign committee, Adhir Chowdhury says he is still in the dark about the reasons behind the change.

"I am clueless about the committee's agenda. I haven't been told what I would be doing as committee chairman. Maybe they'll tell me when they feel it's necessary. So far, during the Puja season, I was told to put up posters and banners about the BJP misrule. I passed on the message to district presidents," Chowdhury said.

Speculation had it that Chowdhury was replaced by veteran politician Somen Mitra as WBPCC chairman because the Congress was eyeing a tie-up with TMC, and Chowdhury's strong anti-TMC stand may hurt the alliance prospects. Speaking to DNA, he admitted that a Congress-TMC alliance would be a personal dilemma. "I would be in a fix if I am to put up the party's election campaign, while also telling people to vote for the alliance candidates. I will continue to speak out against the TMC's misrule and corrupt policies," Chowdhury said, adding that the party's primary aim remains to dislodge the BJP at the Centre, and everything else is secondary.

He said he only learnt of his ouster from the media. "During a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leaders, I told him I never lobbied to be state party president, and was fine with being removed from the post. But the AICC president's office should have informed me about it, not the media. Rahul apologised to me four times after that, and said it had been unfair," Chowdhury added.

Meanwhile, sources close to Chowdhury said he believed making him a campaign committeee chairman was like a consolation prize following his removal.

Adhir’s Ouster

  • Party sources have said the erstwhile WBPCC chief may have been asked to step down due to his outspoken criticism of TMC.
  • With the Congress eyeing a tie-up with TMC, having Chowdhury may have been a problem.
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