Is Congress missing an opportunity to resurrect itself in West Bengal?

New Delhi: In the wake of major controversy and emotive issue of the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata, the Congress is seemingly missing a golden opportunity to politically resurrect itself in West Bengal.

The grand old party may be following the alliance dharma by not going after the Trinamool Congress and its leadership. However, leaders in the state Congress feel that the central leadership of the party is seemingly too busy trying to score short-term gains and is apparently missing the bigger picture.

In fact, leaders in the grand old party's state unit feel it is time for Congress to launch a grassroots movement on the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal and pay back Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for backstabbing the party years ago.

In the criminal incident, and alleged involvement of elements close to the ruling regime, the grand old party has been presented with an opportunity to reclaim its position as the principal opposition party in West Bengal, many feel. 

"However, the party high command has been found wanting on the issue. Instead of taking a tough stand on the rape and murder case, the grand old party is seemingly playing second fiddle to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left parties, who have relentlessly attacked the TMC government," sources said.

A section of Congress believes that the criminal case has presented it with a golden opportunity to reemerge in West Bengal, where the TMC grew at its expense by poaching its cadres over the past decade.

Sources stated that there is a section of leadership in Congress who want to utilize this opportunity to ensure that it is able to regain lost ground in the crucial state.

“Instead of backing Mamata in the name of opposition unity, the focus of the party high command should have been on distancing itself from the TMC leader,” sources said.

There is anger amongst party cadres that while the Congress ceded its space in West Bengal to TMC, top leadership is seemingly unwilling to fight back and regain its rightful share in the state.

Interestingly, it has been the Bharatiya Janata Party which has not left any stone unturned to bring these facts to the fore and has instead worked towards projecting the TMC's hypocrisy over the heinous crime, despite being led by a woman.

If the Congress wants to reemerge as a serious political player and regain lost ground in West Bengal, the party’s high command needs to rethink its political strategy in the aftermath of the criminal case which has jolted the conscience of the society.