The CPI(M) in West Bengal has largely voted in favour of an alliance with the Congress for the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state. This was decided at the CPI(M) state committee meeting which concluded in Kolkata on Saturday.
CPI(M) sources have confirmed to The Sunday Guardian of the decision of the party’s state cadre. A source said, “We are in favour of an alliance with the Congress in West Bengal and only this can help bring down the lawless Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in the state.” Mohammad Salim, a Member of Parliament from West Bengal and a Politburo member, told The Sunday Guardian, “The people of Bengal want to get rid of the misrule of the TMC government. The Left is in favour of a greater people’s alliance of all secular and democratic elements.”
The CPI(M) state committee will send its recommendation for an alliance to the party’s Central Committee for its final nod. The Central Committee, which will meet on 16-17 February is believed to have agreed on such an alliance. The Congress is also in favour of this alliance, and Congress sources strongly believe in a “positive outcome” form this alliance. Om Prakash Mishra, general secretary and spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee, told this newspaper, “Even as the CPI(M) awaits for a final nod from its Central Committee, the Congress is also concluding its consultation on alliance formation and procedural issues with our top leadership.”
The BJP also termed the alliance “opportunistic”. Krishanu Mitra, spokesperson of West Bengal BJP, said, “This is an alliance of fascists and opportunistic individuals. Both the parties are opposite in their ideologies; they cannot reach a common ground. This is just to get back their MLA seats which they held for a long time.”