Has Pratikur Rahaman Left CPI-M to Join Trinamool Before Elections?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Kolkata, Feb 21 (NationPress) Pratikur Rahaman, a prominent young leader and state committee member of the CPI(M) in West Bengal, made a significant move by joining the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday. Following his decision, the CPI(M) leadership expelled him from the party.
Rahaman was officially welcomed into the TMC by the party’s national general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee at the party headquarters in Amtala, located in the South 24 Parganas district.
Interestingly, Rahaman had previously contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Diamond Harbour constituency as a CPI(M) candidate, competing against Banerjee.
After his transition to the TMC, Rahaman expressed to reporters that his departure from the CPI(M) stemmed from a perceived lack of opportunities to voice his opinions within the party.
He conveyed his belief that the Trinamool Congress provides a more fitting platform to challenge the policies and politics of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“There are claims that I have made a deal with the Trinamool Congress. Yes, I have made a deal — that deal is to combat the communal politics of the BJP,” Rahaman remarked.
Banerjee, while welcoming him, noted that Rahaman had reached out to TMC leadership, expressing a desire to serve the people of the state.
Banerjee also criticized the CPI(M) for its handling of young leaders and workers, stating that they face restrictions within the party. He further accused the CPI(M) of inadequately opposing significant issues such as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the state.
This political shift occurs just before the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled for later this year, which is anticipated to have considerable implications for the state’s political landscape.