lF game for talks with Cong for 2016 WB State elections

Mamata Banerjee had hijacked Marxist policy on land to beat Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in 2009 and 2011. Now it is time for the left to do the Didi by trying the famous Mahajot trick back on her.Aware that “in the present political atmosphere” it was difficult to take on the Trinamool Congress single-handedly, the CPI (M) was planning to go into some kind of adjustment with the Congress as part of its grand design to build up a larger unity of “non-communal left democratic alliance.”

Senior Marxist leader and CPI (M) central committee member on Friday said that his party was game for talks with the Congress to keep Mamata Banerjee at bay.“We are currently trying to raise a larger left unity by talking to CPI (Ml), SUCI and other left minded individuals and groups. After that we will even like to create a bigger platform for non-communal left democratic forces in order to defeat this dictatorial regime,” Deb a former State Minister said.

On asked specifically whether by referring to “democratic forces” he meant Congress he said “though we have differences with the Congress some kind of understanding can always be arrived at because it is necessary for the secular left democratic forces to come together in order to get rid of this regime.”

He reminded how “we had supported the Congress during UPA-I for long period of four-and-a half-years” and that “there is no reason why that adjustment cannot take place now particularly when we are jointly taking part in many movements recently.”On whether the two parties would go for an alliance or a seat sharing adjustment he said “things could always be talked about. let us see.” 

Giving his reactions to Deb’s statements senior State Congress leader Abdul Mannan said “I fully back his views as there is no way out but to come together in order to stop Mamata Banerjee from coming to power again.” He added “I have been talking about such an adjustment from the past one year and even raised the issue in Delhi without all-India leadership. While none backed the issue no one rejected it either. So I think it is a necessity to form a grand alliance to get rid of the Trinamool Congress.” 

Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in May next year. The Marxist leader’s statement comes close on the heels of a survey conducted by the Bengali media channel showing that though the Trinamool Congress would roar back to power with 198 seats in 294-member House if polls were held now the ruling party’s vote percentage would drop to about 35 per cent just one per cent better than the left which could get about 34 per cent.

Though the Congress would stick to around 9 per cent it could get more seats than the left because of its concentration of votes in certain pockets. The BJP’s vote share was likely dip further than what it got during the recently concluded civic elections.