The Trinamool Congress has accused Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of being the “B-team” of the Bharatiya Janata Party after a purported video, where he allegedly stated that voting for the BJP is better than voting for the TMC, went viral, prompting a denial from the Congress, claiming the video was “doctored”.
An eight-second video clip of Chowdhury’s speech during an election rally in West Bengal’s Murshidabad was shared by the TMC, where the sitting Congress MP and candidate from West Bengal’s Baharampur was seen saying “It’s better to vote for the BJP than to vote for the TMC.”
However, the authenticity of the clip could not be verified.
Responding to the clip, the West Bengal Congress unit termed it as doctored and officially complained to the EC, seeking intervention and appropriate penal action.
Commenting on the purported remarks, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the goal of his party is to bring down the numbers of the BJP in West Bengal and that the TMC is part of the INDIA bloc.
Earlier in the day, the TMC, upset with Chowdhury’s continual criticism and holding him responsible for the breakdown of seat-sharing discussions with Congress in the state, labelled him as “anti-Bengal.”
In a post on X, the TMC said after acting as the “eyes and ears of BJP in Bengal,” Chowdhury has now been promoted to be the “voice of the BJP in Bengal.”
“Listen to how the B-Team member is openly asking people to vote for the BJP – a party that refused to release Bengal’s rightful dues and deprived our people of their rights. Only a Bangla-Birodhi can campaign for the BJP, which has repeatedly insulted Bengal’s icons,” the TMC said.
“On May 13, people of Baharampur will give a befitting response to this betrayal!” it added.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale also attacked the Congress leader over the remarks.
“Finally from the B-team horse’s mouth! Congress Bengal chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury publicly asks people in his rally to vote for the BJP and not the TMC. While Mamata Banerjee fights against the full might of Modi+Central Agencies machinery, Bengal Congress is openly asking votes for the BJP,” he said in a post on X.
“In Bengal, TMC is INDIA taking on BJP. Meanwhile, Congress and CPM have chosen to become Modi’s loyal soldiers. This is disgusting and beyond shameless,” he said.
