Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury — Bengal's 'street fighter' who became Congress' leader in Lok Sabha

The Indian National Congress on June 18 named Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a five-time parliamentarian from West Bengal, as its leader in the 17th Lok Sabha.

Chowdhury, who is the former President of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, has often been described as a ‘street fighter’. He has also fiercely fought against the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left front. The 63-year-old has for long been considered as the strongman of Murshidabad district, where he has kept Congress’ flag flying for decades.

He replaced senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge as the party’s leader in the Lower House. Kharge who served as the Leader of the Congress party in the 16th Lok Sabha, lost the recent Lok Sabha polls from Gulbarga in Karnataka.

Early years in politics

Born on April 2, 1956, Chowdhury began his political career in 1991 with the Congress. He became a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Nabagram constituency in 1996.

Interestingly, he had fought the election from jail, as he was imprisoned in connection with murder of a Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M) leader's relative. His speeches were reportedly recorded in prison and were played at public meetings.

He remained a member of the West Bengal Assembly from till 1999.

Five-time Berhampore MP

In 1999, Chowdhury became a Member of Parliament (MP) from West Bengal’s Berhampore Lok Sabha constituency -- a seat that Congress had not won since 1951. The constituency was a Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) stronghold. He has won Berhampore seat five times since 1999, consecutively.

He retained the seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, becoming one of the only two successful Congress candidates in the state.

Political journey

Chowdhury has served as the chief of the Congress’ West Bengal unit. He held the position from February 10, 2014 to September 21, 2018.

He served as Minister of State (MoS) for Railways during the second Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. He held the position between 2012 and 2014.

Congress leader in 17th Lok Sabha

Speculation was rife that Chowdhury could be given a key role after he accompanied senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to the all-party meeting on June 16, ahead of the parliament session.

Chowdhury was named by the Congress as its leader in the Lok Sabha on June 18.

Reacting to his appointment, Chowdhury thanked the party for giving him the responsibility and said he would lead from the front in the Lower House.

"I have been given this responsibility, I was asked to stand in the front. I said okay. I am a foot soldier and foot soldiers stand in front. So I will fight as a foot soldier for the party," Chowdhury told news agency ANI.

On June 19, Chowdhury backed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Om Birla for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker, on behalf of his party. Chowdhury urged Birla to be impartial as the presiding officer of the Lower House.