Congress will never allow division of West Bengal: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary over BJP demand of new UT of north Bengal districts

Addressing a public rally in Sripur in Malda district’s Ratua, Chowdhury said the BJP was raking up such issues with eyes on next year’s panchayat elections.

“We will never allow the division of West Bengal. Elections are coming, so BJP is raking up such issues. Congress will always fight against any attempt to divide West Bengal,” he said.

“Who is Ananta Rai? If the people of northern West Bengal feel neglected, it is the responsibility of the state government to address it. The state government should look into ways it can develop north Bengal,” said Chowdhury, the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha.

Greater Cooch Behar movement leader Ananta Rai met Union Minister of State for Home Nisith Pramanik on Friday, and claimed the formation of a new Union territory, carved out of West Bengal, is only a matter of time.

Rai leads a faction of the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association, which seeks a separate Greater Cooch Behar state carved out of northern West Bengal.

A section of the BJP leaders from the region, including Alipurduar MP John Barla, Matigara-Naxalbari MLA Anandamoy Barman and Dabgram-Phulbari MLA Shikha Chatterjee, has been demanding a Union territory comprising the eight northern districts.

Along with Chowdhury, who is the president of the state Congress, several senior leaders, including Nepal Mahato and Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury, were present at the public meeting.

Asked whether the Congress will form an alliance with the CPI(M) for the panchayat polls, Chowdhury said, “I don’t know.” Hitting out at the TMC, the Congress leader alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was using West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure the opposition doesn’t become strong.

“Modi and ‘Didi’ are two sides of the same coin. People of West Bengal cannot be tricked anymore — they have understood that TMC is a party of thieves,” he alleged.