Why Congress chose to go solo

The move follows a series of poor electoral performances. Once a dominant force, the Congress has steadily lost ground over the years. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the party failed to win a single seat in the 294-member विधानसभा, a sharp fall from its 44 seats in 2016. Its vote share also dropped drastically to just 3%.

Previously, the party had allied with the All India Trinamool Congress in 2011 and later with the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front in 2016 and 2021. However, these alliances did not yield expected results, weakening the party's grassroots structure.

Rise of BJP and changing political landscape

The political space once occupied by Congress has now largely been taken over by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which emerged as the principal challenger to the TMC. The BJP's rise-from just 3 seats in 2016 to 77 in 2021-has reshaped the state's political dynamics into a largely bipolar contest.

Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, continues to dominate the state politics.

Internal push for independent fight

The decision to go solo has strong backing from state leadership. West Bengal Congress leaders argue that repeated alliances have weakened party workers at the grassroots level. Leaders believe contesting independently across all 294 constituencies will help rebuild the organisation from the ground up.

However, not everyone agrees. Senior leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has reportedly favoured continuing an alliance with the Left Front.

What lies ahead

The upcoming election is expected to be a high-stakes battle, primarily between TMC and BJP. For Congress, the immediate goal is modest-regaining relevance by securing at least a few seats and improving its vote share.

From being a key challenger in the state for decades to struggling for survival, Congress now faces a crucial test. Its solo gamble in West Bengal will determine whether the party can rebuild its base or continue to remain on the margins.