There was a quick fallout of CPI(M) central committee’s decision not to resend Sitaram Yechury to Rajya Sabha with Congress support with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee smartly grabbing the opportunity to drive a wedge in left-Congress camaraderie built up in Bengal for the past six years or so.
While the Congress which had earlier offered to support “only Yechury” should he get a re-nomination fielded outgoing RS MP Pradip Bhattacharya the CPI(M) too threw its hat in the ring “on ideological grounds,” by nominating former Kolkata Mayor And senior advocate Bikash Bhattacharya known for his “excellent chemistry” with the Pradesh Congress leadership.
None of the left or the Congress with 33 and 36 MlAs can see their candidates through without mutual backing or the help of Trinamool Congress which will be left with six surplus votes after electing five candidates nominated by the ruling party. With six seats up for the grabs the Trinamool has fielded five candidates.
The left tried to field an apolitical “consensus candidate” but the Congress stuck to its stand of nominating its own candidate in the absence of Yechury.
Though the Congress and the left largely kept from accusing each other apparently to keep scopes of future understanding open, Banerjee quickly lapped up the opportunity and offered her support for Bhattacharya saying the remaining six TMC candidates would vote for the Congress.
The refusal of CPI(M) central committee to resend Yechury to Rajya Sabha with Congress help is largely seen as a victory for the Prakash Karat lobby seen as “Kerala line” over Yechury-Buddhadeb Bhattacharya lobby known as “Bengal line.”
The CC decision seems to have left a majority of the Bengal leaders and subaltern cadres infuriated who called Karat’s decision as “suicidal” at a time when the Bengal unit which still had larger number of party members was gasping for oxygen and badly needed Congress’ support to survive politically in the State against unremitting attack by Trinamool mercenaries.
Though the two Bhattacharyas refused comment on their contesting against each other the peculiarity of the situation tended to leave many a gray areas in the Congress-left relationship that had developed through a joint struggle against the Trinamool Congress in Bengal for the past 5-6 years, experts said.
On whether the Friday’s development would pull Congress and Trinamool towards each other once again or whether the left and the Congress would return to their good old days of mutual political hostility Bikash Bhattacharya said, “occasional contests do not hurt the prospects of future joint struggles.” Scopes can always remain open for future joint struggles.”