Congress fights for political existence in Bengal : Pradipta Tapadar

The organisational erosion reached such a level that several senior Congress refused to fight the coming Lok Sabha election and it was left to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi to make them see reason.

To stem the rot, the high command replaced Pradip Bhattacharya with Murshidabad strongman and junior railway minister Adhir Chowdhury.

Chowdhury, known as a Mamata baiter, too conceded after taking over the charge that he did not have a magic wand to change the party's fortunes in Bengal overnight.

However, to his credit he was able to contain the exodus in the last one month. “We will come out with good results in the Lok Sabha poll in West Bengal.

We will prove our strength,” Chowdhury told PTI.