Congress alleges ‘false binary’ narrative by BJP, TMC, vows ideology-driven fight

Accusing both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamul Congress (TMC) of attempting to build a “false binary” in West Bengal politics, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Subhankar Sarkar on Saturday claimed that there is “hardly any difference” between the two parties.

Speaking at a ‘Meet the Press’ programme at the Press Club here, Sarkar said the BJP and TMC were deliberately shaping a narrative of direct confrontation to divert attention from real public issues.

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“The BJP is a direct student of the RSS, while the TMC has taken a distant education course from it. There is hardly any difference between them,” he alleged.

The Congress leader asserted that his party is contesting in all 294 Assembly seats in the state and expressed confidence about forming the government.

“This is a battle of ideology. We are not fighting merely to win elections but to re-establish an ideological framework. If people believe in our ideology, they will support us,” he said.

Sarkar criticised both parties for focusing on central agencies such as the ED and CBI while ignoring key concerns like unemployment, women’s safety, and rural employment.

“There is hardly any discussion on unemployment or 100 days’ work. Instead, there is constant shouting about ED and CBI actions, which have little bearing on the lives of common people,” he said.

Referring to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, he said the Congress had initiated the 100 days’ work programme, which has allegedly been stalled in Bengal for the past three years.

“If the TMC has cheated people, why is the BJP not going to court? And if the BJP is withholding legitimate dues, why is the TMC not taking legal recourse? Both know where the problem lies but are busy creating a false narrative,” Sarkar claimed.

He further alleged that the ongoing political discourse was confusing the younger generation.

“Debates are centred around who abused whom and agency raids. There is no discussion on industrial development, unemployment, or real issues,” he said, calling for a comparative assessment of development during the Congress era and the present time, particularly for new voters.

Describing the upcoming elections as “unprecedented,” Sarkar raised concerns over voter participation, claiming that repeated special intensive revisions had led to exclusion of eligible voters.

“Those excluded from the electoral process had earlier elected representatives, including the Prime Minister. This contradiction will remain a part of history,” he remarked.

On alliances, Sarkar said the Congress has decided to go solo in Bengal, calling it “the need of the hour,” and accusing the TMC of failing to deliver on its promises.

“Our agenda is different from theirs. We will form the government,” he asserted.

He also dismissed speculation over outreach by Rahul Gandhi to specific state leaders, stating that the Congress leader had spoken to MPs across states in his capacity as Leader of the Opposition.

“The BJP’s attempt to make an anti-national amendment has been foiled by the opposition. Rahul Gandhi is the leader of the opposition and it is his responsibility to speak to all the opposition leaders in the parliament. This is parliamentary democracy,” he added.

He added that leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were actively engaged in national politics.

Reiterating that the Congress remains committed to democratic values, Sarkar maintained that the party’s principal ideological opponent is the BJP, not the TMC, even as he continued to criticise both formations for what he termed as “diverting public attention from core issues.”