Subal Bhowmik did it again—‘almost like’ the prodigal son. As a confirmed political nomad he had changed his allegiance for a record sixth time recently as he joined Trinamool Congress leaving Congress. His track record for switching party allegiance within a year or months had not only made him a lone wolf, who could not be trusted—despite his personal honesty – but also severely damaged his political acceptability. But then Subal Bhowmik had always moved on in his own ways, and with his own style.
And he remained wholly unreliable, politically speaking.
As ambitious as Lady Macbeth, as the saying goes, Bhowmik always was in an extreme hurry to be on the top or in a position that would make him one out of all. He never believed in collective conscience or decision as such.
Once a fire brand student leader and extremely good an organizer that he had always been, Bhowmik was traditionally a Congress man but as he could not make much headway in faction-ridden Congress he at first did some hobnobbing with the Trinamool Congress. But as at that time he was not given much importance by Mamata Banerjee he managed to stay put in his good ol’ Congress only to leave it at first opportunity. But he could not wait for long—though he was Congress MLA.
Subal Bhowmik floated his own party Tripura Grameen Congress. But he failed to run the show on expected line. After some months Bhowmik became, in all intents and purposes, high and dry in his political venture. Nevertheless, his sharp politically trained eyes did not miss the writing on the wall as the wind of change began blowing in Tripura in favour of the BJP since mid-2016. So as an early bird he flew out of the nest he himself built and joined the BJP. Even in an attempt to strengthen his position underwent RSS Sakha training in Karimganj.
But his irresistible ambition kept on nibbling him and he wanted to become the president of the BJP state unit. It was, however, not forthcoming. Then he wanted to fight the assembly elections from Banamalipur constituency which was also not given to him but to the then BJP president Biplab Kumar Deb. He reluctantly contested from Sonamura and his half-hearted poll efforts did what was expected- Bhowmik lost.
Frustration was all along his companion. Following the poll debacle it only intensified.
So, after a period of grumbling and brooding he left BJP and returned to his original Congress—but this time with a condition. He wanted to fight the Lok Sabha election from West Tripura seat. Congress in a desperation in the wake of its total rout in the assembly elections agreed and Bhowmik was given the Lok Sabha ticket. He fought the election good but could not make it through. After his defeat Bhowmik somehow lost a bit importance in the Congress which had always been traditionally dogged by bickering and squabble among their leaders- party’s future being not at all certain by any yardstick.
As expected soon his old nibbling mischief of rats came scampering around him. But this time he sought to fight his own demon Bhowmik by taking refuge to religiosity and travelled various parts of the country in an attempt to set up Sanatan Mission. He remained out of political focus for some months. The solace seemed shortlived.
But as the fate would have it, Trinamool Congress now desperately on fast track expeditions to expand its foot print outside West Bengal so as to ensure Mamata Banerjee’s way up in New Delhi’s coveted position set the eye on Tripura and started a search for a local leader with at least some identity. However, while no other political leader from any other party was available for political poaching Bhowmik due to his extraordinary record for turning coats was contacted and, it, indeed, worked. Within less than two years of his re-joining Congress he left the party in the cold and joined Trinamool Congress.
In a sense Subal Bhowmik changed a party was no more a news. His staying in one party and helping it grow might have been. Now it would be a matter to anybody’s guess for how long he would remain in the Trinamool Congress. If some plum post –like state president is given- he then may keep his allegiance there, at least, for some time. Till then, what all can only say is -good luck and Godspeed Subal Bhowmik.
