Congress leader Koustav Bagchi resigns amid speculations of joining BJP

Leader of the West Bengal Congress, Koustav Bagchi, resigned from the party on Wednesday, citing the top leadership of the party as being "more interested in forging a friendship with the TMC than strengthening the state party unit" and viewing "the Trinamool Congress as its West Bengal unit." There are several rumours that Bagchi would probably join the BJP before the next Lok Sabha elections.

The lawyer Bagchi gained notoriety last year when he was detained by the police for disparaging West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Later, he shaved his head and said that he would stay bald as long as the state's TMC administration held control.

One of the state's Congress spokespersons, Bagchi, said on Wednesday that he had submitted his letter of resignation to Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC), as well as the Congress high command.

In his letter, claimed that Congress has lost credibility as a political party. “I have resigned from the party. I have given up my primary membership. I have informed my decision to part high command and state Congress leadership as well. The party has lost credibility,” Bagchi said.

“In West Bengal, the Pradesh Congress committee has no importance. The party high command sees the Trinamool Congress as its West Bengal unit. The party is more interested in forging a friendship with the TMC than strengthening the state party unit. Therefore, I cannot compromise with my self-esteem and not fight against the TMC,” Bagchi said. He also questioned the Congress high command’s silence on the Sandeshkhali issue.

After Bagchi reportedly attacked Banerjee for her "personal attack" on state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Bagchi was detained by the Kolkata police in March of last year. Bagchi promised to remain bald till the Mamata Banerjee administration was overthrown in Bengal after receiving bail. Since then, Bagchi has gained notoriety as a ferocious opponent of the TMC administration and has frequently shared the state Assembly's dais with Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition.