With Assembly elections due in less than three months, the State unit of the Congress party has almost unanimously and publicly started insisting that it would be “wise for the highest leadership” to convey a decision regarding a Bihar-style grand alliance with the Communists in West Bengal.
The State and central leadership of the Communist Party of India-Marxist [CPI(M)] also subscribes to the idea with CPI(M) State secretary Surya Kanta Mishra on Sunday publicly announcing that the party was “willing” to join hands with Congress, but that the Congress high command is delaying the process, which is a “problem.”
In last 24 hours, the CPI(M) and the Congress have “come together” to step-up pressure on the high command of the grand old party located in Delhi’s Akbar Road.
While it is unusual for Congress and the CPI(M) — the arch rivals of yesteryear — to talk in same voice on a grand alliance, both Mr Mishra and the State Congress president, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have elaborately underscored the importance of “coming together” for the Assembly elections.
“As the president of the State-unit of the party I have informed the High Command over the mood at the ground level, where the workers of both the parties, Congress and CPI(M), should come together for an electoral understanding,” Mr Chowdhury told The Hindu on Monday. Mr Chowdhury was responding to Mr Mishra’s comment.
Our stand is clear. Remove Trinamool Congress (TMC) to save Bengal and remove Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to save the country. I am asking the State’s Congress leadership: Are you willing [to join forces with us]?” Mr Mishra had said at a public meeting in Howrah. Making the party’s position clear, he further said that if the State Congress leadership “agree on alliance [then] there can be further discussions.” However he also located traditional “problem” of Congress in his lengthy speech.
“I know their [Congress’] problem. They have to wait for the High Command’s decision. Talks can be held with everyone but there is not much time left for discussions,” Mr Mishra warned.
Political observers said both sides have now “practically come together” and gave a united call to Sonia Gandhi to approve the tie-up. But neither CPI(M) nor Congress is sure if the High Command would respond to the call and Mr Chowdhury made it clear to The Hindu that he could “only” recommend, not decide.
“It may be easy for Surya Kanta Mishra to say it at a public rally as it seems that CPI(M) has at its meeting last month decided on having an alliance. However, in our case the decision has to be taken by the High Command and we are waiting for that,” Mr Chowdhury said.
Observers, however, feel that even if the Left Front and the Congress come together there would be serious problems regarding sharing of seats. Sources in the State Congress, however, said that seat-sharing formula had already been worked out. “It would be done on a two-third and one-third seat sharing formula. Congress will claim one-third and leave two-third to the Left Front,” a senior State Congress leader said.
The State and central leadership of the Communist Party of India-Marxist [CPI(M)] also subscribes to the idea with CPI(M) State secretary Surya Kanta Mishra on Sunday publicly announcing that the party was “willing” to join hands with Congress, but that the Congress high command is delaying the process, which is a “problem.”
In last 24 hours, the CPI(M) and the Congress have “come together” to step-up pressure on the high command of the grand old party located in Delhi’s Akbar Road.
While it is unusual for Congress and the CPI(M) — the arch rivals of yesteryear — to talk in same voice on a grand alliance, both Mr Mishra and the State Congress president, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have elaborately underscored the importance of “coming together” for the Assembly elections.
“As the president of the State-unit of the party I have informed the High Command over the mood at the ground level, where the workers of both the parties, Congress and CPI(M), should come together for an electoral understanding,” Mr Chowdhury told The Hindu on Monday. Mr Chowdhury was responding to Mr Mishra’s comment.
Our stand is clear. Remove Trinamool Congress (TMC) to save Bengal and remove Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to save the country. I am asking the State’s Congress leadership: Are you willing [to join forces with us]?” Mr Mishra had said at a public meeting in Howrah. Making the party’s position clear, he further said that if the State Congress leadership “agree on alliance [then] there can be further discussions.” However he also located traditional “problem” of Congress in his lengthy speech.
“I know their [Congress’] problem. They have to wait for the High Command’s decision. Talks can be held with everyone but there is not much time left for discussions,” Mr Mishra warned.
Political observers said both sides have now “practically come together” and gave a united call to Sonia Gandhi to approve the tie-up. But neither CPI(M) nor Congress is sure if the High Command would respond to the call and Mr Chowdhury made it clear to The Hindu that he could “only” recommend, not decide.
“It may be easy for Surya Kanta Mishra to say it at a public rally as it seems that CPI(M) has at its meeting last month decided on having an alliance. However, in our case the decision has to be taken by the High Command and we are waiting for that,” Mr Chowdhury said.
Observers, however, feel that even if the Left Front and the Congress come together there would be serious problems regarding sharing of seats. Sources in the State Congress, however, said that seat-sharing formula had already been worked out. “It would be done on a two-third and one-third seat sharing formula. Congress will claim one-third and leave two-third to the Left Front,” a senior State Congress leader said.
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