Low campaign investment prospects keep state Congress leaders worried
KOLKATA: As central leadership okays West Bengal Pradesh Congress plea to go it all alone in the Lok Sabha elections this year, it has also left the state leaders worried about their campaign investments in the State.
According to observers it’s not that it was an easy decision either for the state leadership or the central leadership to decide for going alone, but it wasn’t left with much option.
Thus according to party insiders, the central leaders may not always consider investing in West Bengal in terms of deployment of top campaigners in the state when they “consider the prospects are not very bright for the party in 42 LS seats.’’
Said a top leader, who met Sonia Gandhi last week and Rahul today, “We aren’t bothered whether it is not good at all or bad altogether, but we want them to come the State and campaign for the party when everyone from BJP, Trinamool Congress to CPI(M) have jointly condemned us in all recent party meetings by their top leaders.’’
“We want the leadership to take the case of West Bengal rather seriously and try to utilize the anti-incumbency factors that is gathering up in the State.’’
However, that remains a major point if “star campaigners of our party would come to West Bengal without considering the fact that whether we’ll win or lose.’’
Indeed despite talks with top leaders who felt that the unit should be allowed to walk alone, would help the party in campaigns.
“We all know it would be an investment without high returns, as both TMC leader Mamata Banerjee and Left leaders rightly or wrongly passed the buck on Congress policies for this huge economic mess ups,’’ said a political observers, adding, “and affected common people may not feel much inclined to support the Congress.’’
But look at the BJP which has no base but “could send Narendra Modi to campaign here!’’ said a former state Congress leader who decamped recently and joined TMC.
“We have asked Rahulji to come and campaign in West Bengal,’’ said another top leader who declined offer to contest in the coming election today.
