Chandra Kumar Bose, the grandnephew of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, has joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead of the crucial West Bengal Assembly elections. Bose had left BJP in September 2023 after a growing sense of ideological discord.
Chandra Bose hits out at BJP's divisive politics
During his induction into the TMC, Chandra Kumar Bose launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing the party of undermining the ideals of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, his revered granduncle.
Bose explained that his decision to join the TMC was the result of careful observation and reflection, stating, "I did not want to make a mistake again. I took my time, observed political parties closely, and found that the Trinamool Congress practices inclusive and secular politics. My ideology is inclusive and secular."
Bose had initially joined the BJP in 2016, believing that the party’s ideological framework could align with the secular values upheld by both Sarat Chandra Bose and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
However, he said, over time, he saw a growing contradiction between the BJP's policies and the ideals he believed in, particularly the principles enshrined in India's Constitution.
"I joined the BJP thinking I could work within its framework while promoting the inclusive and secular values of Netaji. But it seems that BJP, while taking the oath under the Constitution, has strayed from those principles and practices divisive vote-bank politics," Bose said.
Bose’s move to the TMC comes at a politically sensitive time, just days ahead of elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly. The elections are scheduled for April 23 and April 29, with the counting of votes set for May 4.
His induction is expected to provide the ruling party with symbolic weight due to his lineage connected to Netaji, which could bolster TMC's appeal among voters, particularly those who revere India's freedom struggle.
Bose, who contested the 2016 and 2019 elections as a BJP candidate but lost both times, criticized the BJP for turning its back on the core values of India's independence movement.
He accused the party of spreading hate and division for electoral gains, saying, "We must fight to save India and resist divisive politics."
Bose had been growing increasingly disillusioned with the BJP leadership and its policies, culminating in his resignation from the party in September 2023. Reflecting on his decision to join the BJP, Bose recently described it as a “historic blunder.”
He stated, “I could not align myself with a political approach that seeks to divide voters based on religion for electoral gains.”
