Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: Man of the hour

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is perhaps Cong’s only leader in Bengal with a bastion to boast of. As the party state chief steers it through a tie-up, can the leader who relishes ‘swimming against the tide’ prevail against the current.

4 min readKolkata, New DelhiUpdated: Mar 17, 2021 11:09 AM IST

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was asked to lead Cong justseven months before polls. (Express photo: Partha Paul)

Of the 22 Assembly segments in Murshidabad in West Bengal, the Congress had won 14 in the 2016 elections, picking up another eight in neighbouring Malda — the two central Bengal districts alone accounting for half of the party’s tally of 44 in the last Assembly polls. One man was behind the Congress’s hold in the region, amidst its shrinking footprint in the state: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress’s leader in the Lok Sabha, the president of its state unit and arguably the only Congress leader in Bengal with a bastion to boast of.

His critics call him “Bahubali” who expanded the Congress organisation in Murshidabad through muscle power, and held onto the legacy of A B A Ghani Khan Choudhury in Malda. However, Chowdhury’s well-wishers have another name for him: a “streetfighter” rallying the cadre in Bengal’s violence-prone politics; and a “Robin Hood” who derives his popularity from the downtrodden, especially Muslims, with Murshidabad a Muslim-concentrated district.

Having fought the CPM all his political life, after starting out with the Revolutionary Socialist Party but switching to the Congress soon after, Chowdhury was also among the first to identify the need for the Congress and Left to join hands to defeat the Trinamool. He is now one of the staunchest critics of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, articulate and irreverent as he leads the Congress to another uphill battle, with a hold on Murshidabad, Malda as well as adjoining Nadia and Uttar Dinajpur districts.

Chowdhury had been president of the Bengal PCC in 2016 too when the Congress and Left entered tied up to take on the Trinamool. In Murshidabad, the Left had picked up four seats, while the Congress had emerged as the main Opposition party on the strength of its 44 seats.

After the 2019 general elections, the Congress leadership had rewarded him by making him the leader of the depleted party in the Lok Sabha. Last September, after Somen Mitra’s death, the Congress had turned to Chowdhury to take the charge of the party in Bengal too, just seven months to go for the elections.

“I always favour swimming against the tide… And I also relish this kind of adventure of swimming against the tide,” he had told The Indian Express then.

Chowdhury started his electoral career in 1991, losing his first Assembly contest from Nabagram seat in Murshidabad. However, in 1996, he had fought again from Nabagram and won. He has been a parliamentarian since 1999, when he won from Berhampore.

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After she came to power in 2011, Mamata too had tried her best to make inroads into Murshidabad, sending her then close aide Suvendu Adhikari as an observer to the district. However, even as the Muslim votes swung to Mamata and the Trinamool in other districts, in Murshidabad, they remained with the Congress courtesy Chowdhury.

During the Covid pandemic, Chowdhury was also commended for his role in helping migrant labourers from Bengal.

The 64-year-old is now steering the Congress’s newest alliance in Bengal: with the Indian Secular Front (ISF), a party formed by Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui, the cleric of the influential Furfura Sharif shrine in Hooghly. A section of the Congress had been reluctant — with many apprehensive the move might not just split Muslim votes but rally the Hindus behind the BJP — but the high command has gone with Chowdhury. Lashing out at critics, the PCC chief had said they “have already extracted their pound of flesh”.

Chowdhury’s pragmatism was also on display at the Left-Congress-ISF rally at Brigade Parade Ground on February 28. Siddiqui had snubbed Chowdhury, with his supporters drowning out the Congress leader’s speech, and then gone on to seek votes for the Left while remaining quiet on the Congress.

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Many thought Chowdhury would not stand for this — the alliance had, rather, moved to seal its seat-sharing arrangement (the Left is fighting 165 seats, the Congress 92, the ISF around 37).

Manoj C.G

Manoj C G currently serves as the Chief of National Political Bureau at The Indian Express. A veteran journalist with a career spanning nearly two decades, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the publication's coverage of India's political landscape. Experience & Career: Manoj has built a robust career in political journalism, marked by a transition from wire service reporting to in-depth newspaper analysis. The Indian Express (2008 – Present): He joined the organization in 2008 and has risen to lead the National Political Bureau, overseeing key political coverage. Press Trust of India (PTI): Prior to his tenure at The Indian Express, Manoj worked with India’s premier news agency, PTI, honing his skills in breaking news and accurate reporting. Expertise & Focus Areas: As a seasoned political observer, Manoj focuses on the nuances of governance and party dynamics. National Politics: extensive reporting on the central government, parliamentary affairs, and national elections. Political Strategy: Deep analysis of party structures, coalition politics, and the shifting ideologies within the Indian political spectrum. Bureau Leadership: directing a team of reporters to cover the most critical developments in the nation's capital. Authoritativeness & Trust: Manoj’s authoritativeness is grounded in his nearly 20 years of field experience and his leadership role at a legacy newspaper. His long-standing association with The Indian Express underscores a reputation for consistency, editorial integrity, and rigorous reporting standards required of a Bureau Chief. Find all stories by Manoj C G here. ... Read More

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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