The Congress high command has summoned Bengal party leaders to Delhi apparently to discuss the system of alliances in the election year following reports of division in the Pradesh Congress on whether to realign with the Trinamool Congress or to follow a confrontationist approach with Mamata Banerjee who has allegedly engineered defection in the parent party and hijacked its leaders. The meeting is likely to take place on July 6, insiders said.
According to sources the party’s central observer for Bengal, Gaurav Gogoi have reported to the high command about the prevailing division in the WBPCC over its Trinamool Congress policy. A majority of Bengal Congress leaders have told Gogoi about the prevailing anger in the rank and file against Mamata Banerjee in which case they have requested the leadership to follow an independent path.
Another, yet the smaller group has reportedly told Gogoi that going against Banerjee would further ruin the organisation, particularly in the areas like Murshidabad, Malda and Raiganj where the Congress had a traditional stronghold.
These minority dominated districts that account for all the four MPs of Congress from Bengal have in the recent past seen a mass migration towards the Trinamool Congress —apparently out of sheer fear of a rising BJP. A number of MlAs have already joined the Trinamool while some others including an MP and an MlA from Malda were likely to join it on July 21, the Trinamool Congress Martyrs’ Day, the high command have been informed.
The pro-TMC group in the Congress has wondered whether it would be possible to retain or win seats from Murshidabad by going against the TMC, particularly at a time when Banerjee has managed to establish itself as the messiah of the minorities. Besides the parallel group is also not sure about a decaying left Front’s plans which is itself divided over its future course of actions vis a vis the Congress. This, particularly in the wake of Forward Bloc State secretary and former Minister Naren Dey going on record saying his party would not by swayed by the CPI(M)’s views on the Congress. “If the Front tries to ally with the Congress then the Bloc will come out of it,” Dey said.
“A whole lot of issues will be discussed in Delhi,” a PCC leader said reminding in lok Sabha elections the minority community will vote to strengthen the hands of the Congress in Delhi and not the hands of Mamata Banerjee who is planning to divide the anti-BJP vote bank to pursue her own interests. “In that case it will be difficult for the Trinamool to ignore the Congress or defeat it in its strongholds. Hence the high command will keep these things in view before coming to a decision.”