‘Will resist BJP’: Pratik Ur Rahaman joins TMC days after CPI-M exit

Rahaman, a prominent face among CPI-M’s younger leaders, joined the ruling party of West Bengal in the presence of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at the latter’s Amtala office in South 24 Parganas.

Soon after the induction, Rahaman criticized CPI-M state secretary Md. Salim, accusing him of running a dictatorship within the Leftist party and maintaining a tacit understanding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“My ideology is to resist a fascist force like the BJP in West Bengal. This is my deal,” Rahaman said.

“I will gradually reveal how Md. Salim maintained an understanding with the BJP. Suvendu Adhikari’s recent remark refusing to compare me with Md. Salim itself proves this charge,” he added.

Welcoming Rahaman, Abhishek Banerjee said, “Leaders like Md. Salim are irritated because Pratik Ur Rahaman refused to accept their dictatorship. They couldn’t even understand a leader like Rahaman, whose sole interest is working at the grassroots level. We welcome all such leaders from other parties who are keen to work at the base. I am extremely happy for his joining.”

Rahaman, once regarded as a prominent young minority face of the CPI-M in West Bengal, resigned from the party’s state committee, district committee, and primary membership on February 16, 2026, citing ideological differences and dissatisfaction with the leadership’s functioning.

In his resignation letter, he said he was “unable to align” with the views and strategies of the district and state leadership and later claimed he felt “cornered” within the party for raising questions related to ideology and principles.

His exit is seen as a setback for CPI-M ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, as he was considered one of the party’s emerging youth leaders.

Rahaman had contested the 2021 Assembly election from Diamond Harbour but lost. He again contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the same constituency against TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, but was defeated.