West Bengal elections: Left parties initiate talks, doubts over Congress' plan

Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 2

The Left parties have initiated talks among themselves to prepare a strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, even though the Congress is yet to respond to formally respond about the possibility of an alliance with them.

The strategy includes sharing of seats.

The development signals doubts in a section of Left parties about the Congress’ intention and election plans.

“Congress is procrastinating in carrying forward its declared intent of an alliance with Left Front,” a senior Left party leader said and added that Left parties cannot leave their own strategy on chance.

The Left’s aim is to defeat the ruling TMC and to prevent the expansion of BJP in the state.

A top Left leader said on Monday that the Left Front (LF) Chairman Bimal Bose has commenced “bilateral meetings” with LF’s constituents last Sunday.

Bose is the leader of the CPI(M), which heads the LF- a conglomeration of Left parties.

He met leaders of All India Forward Bloc (AIFB). He will meet leaders of other constituents’ leaders in turns.

Bose’s meet with leaders of constituents is both in the capacity of LF’s chairman and CPI(M) leader.

There is palpable unease in Left spectrum over Congress’ alleged pussyfooting on showing its cards after state president Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary having declared intent for an alliance.

Based on Chaudhary’s positive indication, the CPI(M) Central Committee approved a proposal of West Bengal Committee for an alliance.

Sources say that Left leaders, led by Bose, had met Chaudhary more than a fortnight ago.

Besides the suspense created by Congress, the Left circles are also grappling with curveball flung to them by CPI(ML) Liberation’s head Dipankar Bhattacharya by suggesting that TMC was not untouchable like BJP and hence, doors should be kept ajar for understanding with it.

He has reportedly stated that he would not mind going along with the TMC, if need be, creating flutter among other Left parties, including the CPI(M) and the CPI who are dead-set against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

CPI(ML) Liberation won 12 out of the 16 seats bagged by the Left parties in recent Assembly elections. They were part of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.