'Adhir Chowdhury won't decide, he will be axed if he doesn't...': Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on alliance with Mamata Banerjee

When asked by a reporter about Adhir sending a warning about Mamata's inclusion in the INDIA alliance, Kharge made it clear the final call will be taken by the high command and not the five-time MP, who is also the Congress president in West Bengal.

Kharge said, "Initially, Mamata-ji offered outside support, which Communists did in 2004 during UPA 1 government. But in a recent statement, she spoke about taking part in the government. So it is clear that Mamata-ji is with the alliance.

"Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury won't take the call. The call will be taken by the Congress high command."

When pestered about Adhir, a staunch opponent of Mamata, not following the party's decision, Kharge said, "The high command's decision will prevail. If someone doesn't follow the high command's decision, he will be out."

Days ago, Mamata, who is fighting the Lok Sabha polls solo in West Bengal, announced an outside support to INDIA alliance to form the next central government, hoping Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP will be out of power.

But in a clarification, Mamata said, "I am very much part of INDIA... it was my brainchild. We are together at the national level and will continue to be together."

Banerjee, however, made it clear on both occasions that she does not see the Congress' state unit and the CPM, as allies.

"But when I say this, I don't include Bengal Congress and CPI-M because they are with the BJP," the Trinamool Congress chief added.

Following her remarks, Adhir claimed the TMC supremo, who had earlier claimed Congress won't win 40 seats in the elections, might even run to the BJP.

Speaking to reporters, he said: "What she will do from outside (the alliance) or inside... I don't know. That you have to ask her. But I don't trust her. She left the alliance... she could even run to BJP."

Speaking to reporters, he said: "Whatever complaints she has (about the bloc) she should have raised earlier, when it was created."

BJP takes dig

Posting Kharge's video on X, West Bengal BJP stated, "It's high time the West Bengal Pradesh Congress spokespersons stop their pathetic shadowboxing against TMC and start addressing TMC's endless scams—from recruitment fraud to cattle smuggling—on Bengali TV shows.

"If not, they face the same fate as Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury @adhirrcinc, ousted and humiliated. Congress, stop blaming EVMs and face the truth: your high command culture has decimated your party into this pitiable state."