Adhir Chowdhury: ‘Humiliating loss… need to hit streets, come out of Twitter, Facebook’

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who led the Congress’s marketing campaign in West Bengal, is the chief of the get together within the Lok Sabha. When the group of 23 wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi in search of reforms within the get together, he strongly defended the management. In an interview to The Indian Express after its debacle within the current Assembly elections, he admits want for a change within the get together functioning.
What went so incorrect for the Congress in West Bengal? Your vote share is down to three%, you didn’t win even one seat.
The TMC needed to retain energy and the BJP needed to wrest energy. We didn’t have such stakes, our struggle was for survival. The BJP left no stone unturned to communalise the political setting. They failed. But in some areas the place Muslims are concentrated, like Murshidabad and Malda, polarisation was served. Polarisation aggravated after the Sitalkuchi firing during which 4 youths had been killed and all of them had been Muslim. Mamata Banerjee succeeded in exploiting the state of affairs…her dole and concession politics, the politics of populism, and the very adroit ballot technique of Prashant Kishor made for a formidable mixture. The ladies relied on Mamata and the Muslim inhabitants was satisfied that if we don’t desire a repeat of Uttar Pradesh in Bengal, the saviour shall be Mamata.

Your alliance with the Left and the ISF (Indian Secular Front of Furfura Sharif) backfired?
We failed to supply a proposal, plan or imaginative and prescient to the widespread individuals…that the Left- Congress mix may make issues higher. The Left took the initiative of forging the alliance with the ISF. The widespread Left employees took nice offence.
So Left cadres transferred their vote to TMC?
Yes, part of it. Certainly.
What about Congress votes?
(These went to) BJP and Trinamool each. But primarily Trinamool as a result of the Congress will get mainly Muslim votes. The Muslim vote went to Trinamool and the Hindu vote went to the BJP. For us, there may be nothing left.
There was a notion that the Congress excessive command didn’t take lively curiosity in Bengal.
The TMC raised this, that I had been left excessive and dry and I do not need the help of the AICC. After two rallies, Rahul Gandhiji stopped coming to West Bengal due to the Covid state of affairs. It additionally demoralised our employees and gave a deal with to the ruling regime to humiliate us…We needed to fend for ourselves. We have been decimated by Mamata Banerjee regionally, we now have been decimated by Modiji nationally. The BJP is the menace for us nationally and Mamata Banerjee is the menace for us regionally. So the place ought to we go?

What’s your future plan?
Nothing. I’ve been defeated in a humiliating method. At this level, you might name me an ex-MP. If the outcomes give any indication, definitely I’ve change into an ex-MP.
What do you see forward?
I can not count on any vivid prospects on this current state of affairs. However, issues definitely will change as a result of the credibility of the Narendra Modi authorities has been lowering day after day. So if the Congress is ready to put forth its level extra vigorously and never confine itself to Twitter or WhatsApp however hit the streets in help of widespread individuals… in any other case this chance additionally shall be misplaced. We ought to hit the streets as a result of there’s no dearth of points and individuals are struggling loads. That they’ve failed miserably in coping with the Covid state of affairs…and all different elements and solely the Congress and its allies will be the choice.
The G-23 leaders additionally mentioned you can’t struggle the BJP merely via social media.
What I meant is that we can not afford to be cocooned in Twitter or Facebook. We can not benefit from the luxurious of Twitter or Facebook as a result of the state of affairs has come to such a go that with out hitting the road, we can not influence the psyche of the widespread individuals. For occasion, the Congress president has instructed all employees that put your work apart, assist all Covid sufferers.
What distinction would Rahul Gandhi have made had he campaigned extra?
The Congress has been defeated however that doesn’t imply Rahul Gandhi’s efforts have failed as a result of this time, in Kerala, we needed to struggle an individual like Pinarayi Vijayan, who earned kudos from the widespread individuals, has change into an icon of growth. In comparability to different Left functionaries, he has made a transparent distinction….to the individuals, for the individuals, by the individuals…and never for the get together, by the get together, of the get together. On the opposite hand, was the inner squabbling within the Congress. In Assam, the person who made the distinction is Himanta Biswa Sarma. The man who is aware of the artwork of profitable elections is him. It is to not the credit score of the BJP’s nationwide management…quite the credit score should go to Sarma.
You are ceding house to regional events.
Already regional events have been capturing the house. Mamata Banerjee definitely has been grabbing the nationwide house already and rightfully so as a result of she has been capable of stop the Modi juggernaut in Bengal. It has been amply proved.
If there’s a speak about a federal entrance or a nationwide entrance to tackle the BJP; how do you see that?
We are at all times pleading in favour of it. Because what was the actual essence of UPA I? It was definitely a federal entrance led by the Congress as a result of the Congress acquired the power at the moment….

Will Congress be a part of a entrance it doesn’t lead?
First of all, let the federal entrance coalesce. Thereafter, it will likely be determined that upon whose management the federal entrance can be run. Before the eggs hatch, we can not rely the chickens. Let us first come to the conclusion that we now have to have a federal entrance to cope with the Modi juggernaut. Thereafter, who would be the competent individual to guide shall be thought of by all of the stakeholders…she or he will lead.
What about those that gained yesterday…Banerjee, Vijayan, M Ok Stalin?
I don’t have a difficulty. Because if we expect the BJP is our arch adversary and we now have to defeat the BJP by any means, then we will take into account who must be the acceptable and competent individual to guide it, both collectively or below any character. No downside.
Will you resign as state Congress chief?
I refused to just accept this put up however when Madam (Sonia Gandhi) herself directed me (to take over), I didn’t have the center to refuse. Whenever the AICC management feels that I must be changed, I’m prepared, they’re at liberty to do it. I’m additionally able to do no matter is directed.