New Delhi/Kolkata: The Congress has announced that it will contest the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections independently, ruling out any alliance with the CPI(M)-led Left Front or the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The decision was taken at a high-level meeting between the party leadership and senior leaders of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee.

State in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir confirmed that the party would field candidates in all 294 constituencies, adding that preparations would be made accordingly. The elections are expected to be held around April–May.

Why Congress Chose to Go Solo

Party leaders said previous alliances had weakened grassroots morale. In the 2021 Assembly elections, Congress contested in alliance with the Left Front but failed to win a single seat, prompting a rethink of strategy.

The leadership believes contesting independently will help rebuild the organisation and strengthen its base after years of reliance on coalitions.

The move also ends a decade-long alliance with Left parties and is seen as an attempt to energise party workers and youth ahead of the crucial state polls.

Key Leaders Present at Strategy Meeting

The meeting was chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Rahul Gandhi, K. C. Venugopal, Bengal unit chief Subhankar Sarkar, senior leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and MP Isha Khan Choudhury, among others.

Current Representation in West Bengal

Reports indicate that Isha Khan Choudhury is currently the lone Lok Sabha MP from the Congress in West Bengal, highlighting the party’s limited parliamentary presence in the state.

While the party failed to secure Assembly seats in 2021, leaders see the solo contest as a chance to regain political relevance and expand support at the grassroots level.

Political Impact

Analysts say the decision could reshape Bengal’s electoral dynamics, potentially leading to a multi-cornered contest involving the TMC, BJP, Left parties, and Congress.