Kolkata, Nov 13 TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh on Friday pitched a united opposition front comprising the TMC, Congress and the Left to take on the BJP, triggering an immediate objection from leaders of the grand old party who insisted that a memorial event for veteran leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi should remain above party politics.
The exchange took place at the unveiling of a full-length marble statue of Dasmunsi, a former Union minister and one of Congress’s most prominent faces from West Bengal, at BBD Bagh in central Kolkata.
The event brought together leaders from across the political spectrum, offering a rare display of political camaraderie in a state marked by bitter partisan rivalries.
Addressing the gathering, Ghosh, a TMC spokesperson and MLA from Mamata Banerjee camp, warned that opposition parties fighting separately could end up conceding political space to the BJP.
“Everyone says they are prepared to fight alone. We will say we are ready to fight alone. (West Bengal Congress president) Shubhankar Sarkar will say he is ready to fight alone, and the CPI(M) leadership will say the same. In the meantime, the BJP will take away the entire playing field by rigging elections,” he said.
He urged the Congress and the Left to join hands with the TMC in a broader anti-BJP arrangement, arguing that fragmented opposition forces would only benefit the saffron party.
His remarks, however, drew an instant rebuke from Congress leaders present at the function.
Congress leader Amitava Chakraborty described Ghosh’s suggestion as his personal opinion and said the occasion should not be turned into a platform for political manoeuvring.
“Please stop politics. This is Kunal’s personal statement. But we do not want to discuss politics at a platform dedicated to Priya Ranjan. This is a pluralistic platform, and we want to preserve it beyond party politics,” Chakraborty said.
He added that political alliances and electoral negotiations should be discussed at party offices rather than at a memorial gathering.
“Kunal is my younger brother. He has expressed his views, and that is his democratic right. Let him speak. But this platform should remain above party politics,” he said.
The political sparring notwithstanding, the gathering brought together an unusual cross-section of Bengal’s political establishment, with Justice (retd) Shyamal Kumar Sen, Left Front chairman Biman Bose, senior TMC leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Congress veteran Pradip Bhattacharya and several other leaders attending the ceremony.
The tributes also underlined Dasmunsi’s enduring appeal across party lines, nearly eight years after his death in October 2017 following a prolonged illness.
Senior TMC leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay recalled Dasmunsi’s contribution to his political life, placing him alongside former chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee among the three people who had shaped his career.
Another TMC leader, Madan Mitra, offered a personal anecdote, saying, “I have come here as Madan Mitra of Priyada.”
The event also produced a striking moment of personal warmth cutting across ideological divides.
After the programme, Ghosh touched Biman Bose’s feet in a gesture of respect. The veteran Left leader, who generally does not accept such gestures, accepted his obeisance.
Asked about it, Bose said with characteristic humour, “What could I do? He suddenly touched my feet.
(PTI News)
