M Kharge's posters defaced in Bengal following snub to Adhir Chowdhury

A day after West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was rebuffed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee's commitment to the INDIA bloc, several of Kharge's posters and hoardings were defaced with ink outside the party's state headquarters on Sunday.

Unidentified individuals also wrote "agent of Trinamool Congress" on the posters.

Sources within the Congress revealed that Chowdhury, who was in his hometown Baharampur, expressed his displeasure over the incident. He directed party workers to lodge a police complaint, which they did, and the defaced posters were subsequently removed.

A party leader alleged, "The incident might have happened on Saturday night. This is the handiwork of the TMC, which wants to create differences between senior Congress leaders and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury."

The defacement incident followed Kharge's response to a query regarding Mamata Banerjee's comment about supporting the INDIA bloc government from outside, and Chowdhury's remark that she cannot be trusted and might align with the BJP. Kharge had stated, "Mamata Banerjee is with the alliance. She has recently said that she will join the government. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not take the decision. The decision will be taken by me and the high command and those who don't agree will go out."

Kharge also emphasized that Chowdhury is not authorized to decide on Banerjee's participation in the INDIA bloc if the alliance comes to power after the Lok Sabha elections.

Reacting to Kharge's comments, Chowdhury said, "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 be used for her (Banerjee's) personal agenda and then finish the organisation."

He further asserted, "If Khargeji speaks against my views, I will continue to speak for Congressmen at the grassroots in the state."

The TMC is contesting the Lok Sabha elections independently in West Bengal, while the Congress and the Left are jointly fighting the polls.