Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is set to launch his campaign for the Congress party in the West Bengal Assembly elections on Tuesday, marking his first return to the state’s electoral battleground in five years.
His sister, Priyanka Gandhi, who serves as the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), is also expected to travel to West Bengal shortly to support the Congress candidates during this crucial election period.
The voting in West Bengal is scheduled for April 23 and April 29, with a fierce contest anticipated between the incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front and Congress will also be in the fray, competing independently.
According to Congress sources, Rahul will commence his campaign in Uttar Dinajpur and will subsequently hold rallies in Malda and Murshidabad. These districts, which have a significant Muslim population, were once strongholds for the Congress party and still retain some of its influence.
Rahul is expected to revisit these districts as well as Purulia and various locations in North Bengal, where the Congress aims to secure seats in the upcoming elections. The party had faced a disappointing outcome in the 2021 Assembly elections, where it failed to win any seats while contesting in alliance with the Left.
Priyanka Gandhi may also campaign in these regions, although her itinerary remains to be finalized, according to party sources.
A senior Congress figure mentioned that both Rahul and Priyanka would focus their efforts on the Baharampur constituency, where Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a prominent candidate and five-term MP, is contesting. Chowdhury, 70, has made a comeback to Bengal politics to run for the Assembly seat after a 30-year hiatus.
Rahul’s last campaign in Bengal took place during the previous elections, which he began in north Bengal on April 14, 2021. During that time, he criticized the BJP’s promise of creating a “Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal),” calling it a falsehood and accusing the party of seeking to undermine Bengal’s culture. He claimed that the presence of the BJP, led by Narendra Modi and supported by the RSS, only spread division and hatred among the populace.
His 2021 campaign was cut short due to the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the lead-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi did not engage in campaigning in Bengal, as the Congress aligned itself once again with the Left. The party managed to secure one seat during this election cycle, with Isha Khan Chowdhury winning from the Malda Dakshin parliamentary constituency.
Earlier in 2024, however, Rahul traversed Bengal as part of his “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,” covering various districts in both northern and southern regions of the state.
Many members of the Bengal Congress believe that the involvement of Rahul and Priyanka in the campaign will enhance the party’s chances, particularly in areas like Murshidabad and Malda. The election manifesto for the party was recently unveiled by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge in Kolkata.
Political analysts suggest that during his campaign in Bengal, Rahul may adopt a cautious strategy, targeting the BJP while avoiding an aggressive stance against the ruling TMC, which is vying for its fourth consecutive term. This approach may be motivated by the Congress’s broader objective of uniting all opposition parties to defeat the BJP at the national level.
However, a senior Congress leader remarked that this election serves as a crucial test for the party. They aim to assess their vote share in Bengal and are consolidating their efforts in areas where they still hold some influence. There is a belief that certain minority regions may express discontent with the TMC, leading those votes to shift towards the Congress instead of the Left, which could help the party secure representation this time.
