"Anyone can become president" says Adhir Chowdhury after Subhankar Sarkar takes over as Bengal Congress chief
Sep 22, 2024
New Delhi [India], September 22 : Reacting to the appointment of Subhankar Sarkar as the new Bengal Congress president, the party's former state chief, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said that anyone can become the president, and the party high command, Mallikarjun Kharge, has the right to decide on such things.
"I dont want to say anything. Anyone can become president. The party high command has the right to choose the state party president," said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
Earlier on Saturday, Congress leader Subhankar Sarkar was appointed as the new President of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect. Kharge ordered the appointment on Saturday night.
Sarkar has been relieved of his current position as the secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). Notably, Sarkar is also the Congress state-in-charge of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
He will be replacing Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who stepped down from the post after he lost to Trinamool candidate Yusuf Pathan in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from the Baharampur constituency. The Congress party also appreciated the contribution of Chowdhury.
A day after being appointed as West Bengal Congress President, Subhankar Sarkar said that he wanted to take forward the programmes of the Congress by keeping all the party workers together.
"I want to take forward the programmes of the Congress by keeping all the party workers together... Mission 2026 Assembly elections, this is one mission and another mission is my organisation... To make the voice reach the Assembly and the Parliament, a representative is required. And that representative will come from the organisation," said the West Bengal Congress President.
Earlier in July this year, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had voiced his opposition to the manner in which he was relieved of his post after the Lok Sabha elections.
"While the election was underway, Mallikarjun Kharge said on television that if necessary I would be kept out, which made me upset. The election results were also not good for the party in West Bengal. Even though I was the temporary party president, it was my responsibility. After which I told Kharge ji that if possible, you can replace me with someone else...In between I was informed by AICC to call a meeting of Congress leaders of West Bengal as the party wanted to pass two resolutions...I was aware that the meeting had been called under my presidency and I was still the West Bengal Congress president but during the meeting, Ghulam Ali Mir while addressing said that the former president is also here. At that time, I got to know I had become former president (of West Bengal Congress)," Adhir Chowdhury had said.
