Alliance yet to decide chief ministerial candidate: Adhir

The mistrust and friendship of suspicion between Congress and CPI(M) are becoming palpable with leaders of both the parties contradicting each other’s statements.

Reacting sharply to Manas Bhuniya statement that Suryakanta Misra, state CPI(M) secretary would be the face of the alliance if voted to power, WBPCC president Adhir Chowdhury on Monday said, “It may be Bhuniya’s personal view and we have not selected anyone as yet.”

It may be recalled that veteran CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb had made a similar statement when he contracted Congress MP, AHA Khan Chowdhury’s view, Khan Chowdhury had said that if voted to power Misra would be the Chief Minister. Reacting to it Deb said “We are yet to find the CM candidate. Our main duty now is to oust TMC.”

Leaders fail to understand that such statements send a wrong signal to people that the alliance was not genuine and the leaders were trying to exploit the electorate. Suspicion about the future of the alliance are rising as it has not got approval of both CPI(M)’s politburo and the Congress high command. It may be mentioned that Congress and CPI(M) have failed to resolve the impasse over seat adjustment in 24 seats where quadrangular fight has become inevitable. The alliance has not published any joint manifesto so some people apprehend that the main purpose of the alliance is to get some more seats to keep their existence intact. As the alliance does not any strong agenda, it has failed to create any impact in the rural belt. In urban and semi urban constituencies its impact is negligible. “There will be polarised vote this time and the results will be very clear cut either in favour of TMC or against it,” said a veteran Congress leader.