Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a prominent figure within the Congress and the current Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, expressed his regret and offered an apology to Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien for referring to him as a "foreigner".
"Inadvertently, I used the term 'FOREIGNER' about Mr. DEREK O'BRIEN. I have conveyed my sincere regrets to him," stated Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in a communication posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
According to sources familiar with the matter as reported by the news agency PTI, Derek O'Brien has accepted Adhir Ranjan's apology.
The incident occurred when, during a media interaction in Siliguri, West Bengal, Adhir Ranjan commented, "Derek O’Brien is a foreigner, he knows a lot of things. Ask him."
Adhir Ranjan's statement came following accusations from Derek O'Brien, who blamed him for the collapse of seat-sharing negotiations within the INDIA bloc in West Bengal. O'Brien also alleged that Adhir Ranjan was colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury – these are the three reasons why the alliance failed in Bengal," remarked O'Brien during a press briefing in Delhi.
Furthermore, O'Brien claimed that while the INDIA bloc faced opposition from various quarters, only the BJP and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury openly criticized the alliance.
"His voice may be his own, but the content is dictated by the duo in Delhi. Over the past two years, Adhir Chowdhury has echoed the BJP's rhetoric. He has never raised concerns about Bengal's deprivation of central funds," O'Brien asserted.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has been vocal in his criticism of the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee, especially after the party decided to withdraw from the INDIA alliance and contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections independently.
Recently, the TMC declared its intention to contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, including Adhir Ranjan's stronghold, Berhampore, without any coalition. "Despite my efforts to negotiate, all our proposals were rejected by them. As a result, we have chosen to pursue our electoral goals independently in Bengal," stated Mamata Banerjee.
