Kolkata, April 25: Senior Congress Rajya Sabha MPs Pramod Tiwari and Akhilesh Prasad Singh on Saturday asserted that the Indian National Congress will play a decisive role in forming the next government in West Bengal following the ongoing Assembly Elections 2021. The claim comes as Congress contests the Bengal polls independently — without any electoral alliance — for the first time in 20 years, positioning itself as a credible third force in a state dominated by Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Congress Emerges as Third Force in Bengal

Both Pramod Tiwari and Akhilesh Prasad Singh addressed the media ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's campaign visit to West Bengal, making a bold claim about the party's electoral prospects. "Although the main focus is on the two big parties here, the Congress has emerged as the third force. Congress will play a decisive role in the coming days," both MPs said in unison.

This is a significant strategic shift. For two decades, Congress had relied on alliances — primarily with the Left Front — to remain relevant in Bengal's political landscape. Contesting alone signals a new confidence within the party's leadership, even as political analysts remain divided on whether the move will translate into meaningful seat wins or simply split the anti-incumbency vote.

Sharp Attacks on Both TMC and BJP

Pramod Tiwari invoked Bengal's rich history of cultural and political movements to underline Congress's ideological roots in the state. He also launched a pointed attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, raising questions about law and order failures in Delhi — a region under direct central administration. "Why has the government failed to ensure security even in areas directly under the Centre?" Tiwari asked, framing the BJP as incapable of governance.

He simultaneously targeted the ruling Trinamool Congress, accusing it of nurturing "syndicate culture, corruption, and political violence." "Both parties are doing politics of division," Tiwari stated, positioning Congress as the only unifying alternative.

Akhilesh Prasad Singh was even more categorical: "No government will be formed in West Bengal without the Congress. The state has now gone to the bottom in important sectors like education, health, and industry." This critique aligns with data that has long shown West Bengal lagging behind comparable states in key human development indicators, despite its historical legacy as an industrial and intellectual hub.

Rahul Gandhi's Bengal Campaign Blitz

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in West Bengal on Saturday for a packed schedule of three consecutive campaign rallies. His first stop was Serampore in Hooghly district, where he met all district candidates along with state Congress president Subhankar Sarkar. He then flew by helicopter to address a major public gathering at the iconic Shahid Minar in Kolkata. The final rally was held in the Metiaburuz area under the Kolkata Port Assembly constituency.

The choice of venues is strategically significant. Shahid Minar, a landmark tied to Bengal's freedom struggle, carries powerful symbolic weight — a deliberate attempt by Congress to reclaim its historical narrative in a state where it once dominated politics before the Left Front's 34-year rule reshaped the landscape.

Historical Context and What's at Stake

Bengal's political history is one of dramatic shifts. Congress ruled the state for decades post-Independence before being displaced by the Left Front in 1977. The TMC then ended Left dominance in 2011, and BJP emerged as the principal opposition in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, winning 18 of 42 seats. Congress, meanwhile, has been reduced to a marginal player. Its decision to go solo in 2021 is therefore a high-stakes gamble.

Critics argue that Congress contesting alone risks fragmenting the anti-TMC vote, inadvertently benefiting either TMC or BJP. Supporters, however, contend it is the only way to rebuild the party's independent organisational strength in the state after years of dependence on alliance partners.

Phase 2 Voting and Results Timeline

The second phase of the West Bengal Assembly Elections is scheduled for April 29, 2021, covering the remaining 142 Assembly constituencies. Vote counting will take place across multiple rounds, with results expected to be declared on May 4, 2021. The outcome will determine whether Congress's bold solo strategy yields political dividends or serves as a costly lesson in electoral arithmetic.

With Rahul Gandhi personally leading the campaign charge and senior Rajya Sabha MPs making sweeping claims about government formation, all eyes are now on whether Congress can convert its rhetoric into votes on April 29 — and whether it can genuinely emerge as the kingmaker it is projecting itself to be.