You take over at a time when the Congress is at one of its lowest points in Bengal, with just a single MLA and one MP. What does the party need to do?

My immediate priority is to revamp and rebuild the party organization from booth to state-level and interact with workers from across the state. I will also hold discussions with other parties associated with us. Right now, we are fighting against the ideologies of the BJP and RSS as well as their anti-India activities. Our top priority is to win back the confidence of the people.

How do you plan to do this?

I will interact with all the frontal organizations of the party, including the student wing, youth wing, mahila wing, trade unions and others, and launch grassroot-level programs.

The Congress is suffering in the state due to the marketing politics of the BJP and TMC, which use their financial powers and resources. The TMC uses its police and administration against the people due to which youngsters are scared. For instance, if one of our young workers gets a job, the TMC creates hurdles by slapping false cases against him.

(But) As a Congress worker, I realize that the people of Bengal have not been happy with our party’s activities for a long time. Hence, we do not get support. They have seen unemployment, corruption, scams and the RG Kar incident (rape and murder of a junior doctor) under the TMC rule but still go and vote for the ruling party and also the BJP. I want to know why the people support the TMC and BJP.

I want them to see the present situation of the state and compare it to previous regimes. I will also urge them to think about what the BJP is doing at the national level.

I agree we are organizationally weak in Bengal, but we will try to convince the people. We will tell the people that if the Congress is weak, the state is weak, and in turn the country is weak. I think the Congress will see favorable results in the 2026 (Assembly) polls.

We will also reach out to the people with the message of Rahul Gandhi, who has become the face of the downtrodden after the Bharat Jodo Yatras. The people realize this and hence voted for the Congress (in the recent Lok Sabha polls). This is why he became the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

To increase our social presence, I am urging all Congress workers and supporters to hoist the party flag at their homes. This will ensure that new party workers are easily able to identify households that support the party in the area.

Newly appointed Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar being felicitated in Kolkata. (Express Photo)

How will the Congress’s relations with the Left and TMC be under your presidency?

The Congress is a major shareholder in the INDIA bloc, of which both the Left and TMC are a part. Even though the TMC fought the Lok Sabha polls alone, the Left and Congress contested together and continued to be partners in the INDIA bloc. However, at this moment, the activities of the TMC are not acceptable to the people of Bengal. As elections approach, the AICC will decide who to ally with. However, a final decision will be taken after taking suggestions from our district presidents and workers.

Will there be an alliance with the TMC?

There is no step forward for any political party without the people’s support. Our decision (on allying with the TMC) will depend on discussions between our cadre and the senior leadership. Our priority is to strengthen our party.

Your predecessor was vociferously against the idea of ​​an alliance with Mamata Banerjee…

During the panchayat polls, our workers were beaten up by TMC supporters. Many of them were scared and chose to stay in the PCC office for two months. Chowdhury raised his voice against this. There is no personal enmity between him and Banerjee. It was a normal reaction for the president of any party.

There is speculation that the Bengal Congress will now have two power centers – one in Kolkata and the other in Baharampur (Chowdhury’s turf).

Only time will tell.