Entering Bengal, Cong switches into ‘damage control mode’

Cooch Behar: With the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ entering Bengal, the Indian National Congress switched into a damage control mode. While Gandhi emphasised that the INDIA formation will fight united, placards were shown by ‘Cooch Behar Nagarik Brindo’ against West Bengal Pradesh Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

In a sudden change of plans, Rahul Gandhi, scheduled to halt in the Alipurduar district for the night, instead left for Delhi on Thursday afternoon.

A day after Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee made it clear that the party despite supporting the INDIA alliance, would go at it alone in Bengal, Rahul Gandhi’s yatra entered Bengal through the Assam-Bangla Border of Cooch Behar district at Boxirhat-Jorai on Thursday.

Rahul Gandhi was accorded a warm welcome by Congress leadership and supporters with the yatra entering Bengal at around 10:50 am on Thursday. West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Assam Pradesh Congress president Bhupen Kumar Barah were present there.

“We have come with our Mohabbat Ka Dukan (shop dishing out love). The rally is travelling from Manipur to Maharashtra. The BJP and RSS are busy spreading hate, violence and injustice throughout the country. The INDIA formation will fight united against all this,” stated Gandhi. “We can’t think of the INDIA alliance without the TMC and Mamata Banerjee. Rahulji is in constant touch with Mamataji,” claimed Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

He further informed that there would be no yatra on Thursday afternoon. “After the Republic Day break, it’ll resume on January 28,” claimed Ramesh. After leaving Boxirhat, the yatra was earlier scheduled to go to Falakata in the Alipurduar district via Cooch Behar town and Khagrabari. Rahul Gandhi’s convoy entered the Cooch Behar town through the Cooch Behar Railway Station. He reached Khagrabari area through a different route. From there he went straight to Hashimara Air Force Station from where he departed in a special plane for Delhi. The day also saw groups protesting with placards in Cooch Behar’s Khagrabari area, including Tufanganj Jorai More, and Tufanganj Thana More. The placards signed ‘Cooch Behar Nagarik Mancha’ bore the messages that Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was working on behest of the BJP and was not allowing the INDIA coalition to take shape in Bengal.

“The Congress should not worry about Bengal. Mamata Banerjee alone is enough to drive away the BJP here. Why is the yatra required in Bengal? They should instead concentrate on UP, Bihar, MP and Rajasthan,” stated TMC leader Udayan Guha.