The Congress leadership has appointed Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as the president of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC). Chowdhury is also the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha.

The appointment comes ahead of next year’s assembly elections in West Bengal. This is Chowdhury’s second stint as the WBPCC president. He had earlier held the post between February 2014 and October 2018.

Chowdhury said that he will try to strengthen the party organisation in the state and strive to put up a strong fight against both the ‘communal’ BJP and the ‘undemocratic’ TMC.

“I want to thank my party for keeping faith in me at this crucial juncture. My aim would be to strengthen the organisation and put up a strong fight against both the communal BJP and the undemocratic TMC,” Chowdhury said.

Chowdhury, a five-term MP from Beharampore Lok Sabha seat in Murshidabad, is considered a strong critic of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. He had played a key role in forging the Left-Congress alliance before the 2016 assembly polls in the state.

Chowdhury’s appointment was necessitated after the demise of former WBPCC chief Somen Mitra.