March 22: A day after state Congress chief Pranab Mukherjee pulled out of the poll fray citing “national compulsion”, the party’s leaders in Bengal appeared at a loss.

Mukherjee last night called state Congress working president Pradip Bhattacharya and Murshidabad party chief Adhir Chowdhury to let them know his compulsion to opt out.

“We were caught unawares. Party workers had completed painting 80 per cent of the graffiti in Jangipur. Besides, we had launched a door-to-door campaign. We have to start all over again,” former state party chief Somen Mitra said in Calcutta.

There was “tremendous enthusiasm” in the Congress rank and file after Mukherjee expressed his desire to contest the elections while addressing a meeting at Jangipur on March 8, Mitra said. “We know that Soniaji (Congress president Sonia Gandhi) wants Pranabda to steer the party’s campaign at the national level. But his absence from Jangipur could prove costly.”

Chowdhury, the Murshidabad MP credited with triggering a Congress upswing in the district, said, if nothing else, the party has incurred a “huge financial loss”. “We have already spent a lot on graffiti, posters and festoons,” he said, adding that the party workers are “depressed and demoralised” following Mukherjee’s decision.

Humayun Reza, the Congress MLA from Aurangabad, was not too sure about the prospect of the candidate who would replace Mukherjee. “Our party workers had fought with the CPM cadre to capture walls for the graffiti. They are unwilling to be part of the campaign after Pranabda backed out. We don’t know what is in store.”

Asked if he could replace Mukherjee, Mitra replied in the negative. “The party will choose its candidate for the seat and I have nothing to say about it,” he said. However, Mitra indicated that Mainul Haque, who was second in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, could be a contender. He also named Reza and former MLA Sohrab Hussain.

Murtaza Ali, a Congress worker in Jangipur, was agitated. “Mukherjee could have sailed through. But those at the helm in the party cancelled his nomination to ensure the CPM’s victory,” he said.

Mitra said the party will announce the name of its candidates from Behrampore and Jadavpur after Mukherjee returns to Calcutta on Wednesday.