Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday publicly reprimanded the party’s Bengal president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for speaking out of turn about chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her relationship with the INDIA bloc, maintaining that he does not have a say in the matter.

In a media interaction in Mumbai along with other leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on the last day of the campaign for Monday’s polling in the metropolis, Kharge was questioned about Chowdhury’s claim that the Bengal chief minister cannot be trusted and could go with the BJP.

“Mamataji first said we will support from outside. This has happened before also. Several parties extend outside support. In the UPA government of 2004, the Communists gave outside support. She said this first but recently another statement of hers has come in which she said if a government is formed, then we will be part of it. Naturally, she is with the INDIA bloc; that is clear,” Kharge said.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury PTI file picture

“As for Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, he is not the one who will decide. The decision-makers are us, the Congress party, the high command. So, the decision we take will be the right one,’’ he added.

Quizzed further on Chowdhury’s views not aligning with that of the Congress, Kharge said: “I have said we are the high command. What we decide will be followed. If someone does not follow it, then he will have to go.’’

Chowdhury has been a trenchant critic of Mamata and has repeatedly maintained that the TMC and the BJP are in cahoots.

Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest allegation that the Congress manifesto was a “Maoist” document, Kharge said: “Till yesterday, Modi said Congress manifesto is Muslim League manifesto... he should make up his mind. It has become a joke.’’

The MVA leaders also criticised Modi for his provocative speeches aimed at instigating people against each other, the latest example being Modi’s allegation in an election speech Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki on Friday that the Samajwadi Party and the Congress would bulldoze the Ram Temple if voted to power. “The Election Commission should take action against speeches that instigate; the Prime Minister leads the way on this count,’’ Kharge said.

Referring to the BJP’s repeated allegation that there are many prime ministerial aspirants in the INDIA bloc, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said the alliance had a big talent pool to choose from unlike the BJP, and there was a consensus on who should lead the government. He, however, did not divulge the name.