TMC blames Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for INDIA alliance breakdown in Bengal

In the aftermath of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's announcement that Trinamool Congress will contest the upcoming general elections independently, the party has squarely placed the blame on Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. TMC MP Derek O'Brien accused Chowdhury of speaking the language of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and consistently undermining Mamata Banerjee.

O'Brien stated that three main reasons contributed to the alliance failure in Bengal – all of which were Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. He alleged that Chowdhury, influenced by the BJP, had been working against the alliance, endorsing the Enforcement Directorate's actions against TMC and holding press conferences to belittle Mamata Banerjee.

O'Brien hinted that Trinamool Congress might support Congress if it defeats BJP in the general elections, emphasizing that post-election cooperation would depend on Congress defeating the BJP on a substantial number of seats. The Congress, on its part, has been attempting to placate Banerjee, acknowledging that the INDIA bloc is incomplete without her. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Bengal, with Gandhi expressing solidarity with the INDIA bloc against injustice.