Adhir Chowdhury, Congress candidate from Baharampur in Murshidabad will occupy the third position in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election, said Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of Trinamul Congress today.

He held Chowdhury responsible for not inking the INDI alliance in Bengal.

Trinamul Congress has fielded cricketer Yusuf Pathan against the sitting Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury. The election in Baharampur Lok Sabha seat will be held on 13 May.

Addressing a gathering after taking part in a roadshow, which started at Textile More and ended at Jamtala More, Mr Banerjee said in Bengal INDI alliance could not be formed because of Adhir Chowdhury. “When Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi told Mamata Banerjee that steps should be taken to oust the BJP, on the same day Adhir Chowdhury addressed a meeting with Mohammad Selim in Dhupguri and urged people to vote against Trinamul Congress,” he said, adding, “Mr Chowdhury has made alliance with the BJP and urged people to vote for BJP. He has never criticized Modi. He did not utter a word when the BJP-led Centre stopped funds related to MGNREGA and Awas Plus schemes,” he said.

He said in the 2021 Assembly election, people of Murshidabad had supported Trinamul Congress and the party had bagged 20 out of 22 seats. He urged party workers to ensure the lead of Yusuf Pathan, party’s nominee in every ward of Baharampur Municipality.

He said to save his back, Chowdhury is now siding with the BJP and urged people to vote for the BJP candidate. “If he votes for the BJP nominee, then there is no point voting for him.”

Chowdhury has held the hand of Mohammad Selim of CPM. “It was the CPM goons, who killed thousands of Congress and Trinamul Congress supporters. They had chopped off the hands of people who had voted for the Congress. Now, for safety, Mr Chowdhury is going with the CPM.”

He urged people not to vote for Chowdhury, who had not taken any initiative to develop Baharampur. “In the past five years, development hasn’t taken place in Baharampur. Rest assured, if Mr Pathan is elected we will carry out development which has not taken place in the past 25 years.”

He said the Congress candidate has betrayed the people. “He was elected by the people, who are Congress supporters and now is asking them to vote for the BJP. Do not vote for a traitor,” he said.

Mr Banerjee said the way youth have taken part in the roadshow is very encouraging. “Youth have kept faith in Trinamul Congress as they know it will carry out all-round development in Baharampur. Rest assured, if Pathan wins, I will replicate the Diamond Harbour model here in Baharampur.