Adhir’s comments puts final nail in the alliance’s coffin

A statement by WBPCC president Adhir Chowdhury that Forward Bloc has taken money from Trinamool Congress to field candidates in Murshidabad on Friday has put the final nail in the coffin of an unofficial alliance between the Congress and Left Front.

The statement has shocked the leaders of both Congress and CPI(M) and Forward Bloc leaders have challenged Chowdhury to give proof to justify his statement or tender unconditional apology. Senior leaders of Left Front who believed that finally the partners would withdraw their candidates and there would be one to one fight maintained that after Friday’s statement it was almost certain that the alliance would not work in Murshidabad.

Congress and RSP will fight in nine seats in the state. They are Bharatpur, Baroan, Suti, Jangipur, Beldanga, Naowda in Murshidabad and Alipurduar, Malatipur and Tapan. RSP state secretary Kshiti Goswami said it was most unfortunate that in Alipurduar, CPI(M) was backing  Congress and not Nirmal Das, an RSP candidate. “From this attitude it is evident that CPI(M) is trying to ensure that RSP becomes nonexistent or insignificant in Bengal politics. But we will not allow this and we are keeping a tab on the situation.”

Again, Congress will fight against Forward Bloc in Murshidabad, Harishchandrapur, Bagda and Rampurhat. It is interesting that Congress will fight against CPI(M) in 11 seats. They are Hariharpara, Domkol, Sagardighi, Beleghata, Saithia, Hasan, Jangipur, Harirampur, Udaynaryanpur and Monyena. Thus it is almost certain that there will be a contest among the “friends” in 24 seats in the election. Though both CPI(M) and Congress have termed it as “friendly” fight they know very well that in the election no fight can be termed as friendly.

Both the RSP and Forward Bloc leaders said there was no guarantee that the voters of Congress would vote for CPI(M) and vice versa. “No friendship can survive on suspension and that is why we had opposed this alliance. But we finally agreed just to save the Left Front,” said a veteran Forward Bloc leader. 

They are apprehensive that the alliance will finally help Trinamool Congress to increase the number of seats. “If that happens, our rank and file we never forgive us,” they said. 

Congress leaders like Pradip Bhattacharya and Somen Mitra are silent on Chowdhury’s statement on Friday. “He has made a statement in Murshidabad and as I have not heard it, it will be wrong on my part to give a comment,” said Bhattacharya.