Cong, CPI(M) campaigns affected as dissent swells in ranks

At a time when meetings are on between CPI(M) and Congress to resolve the seat sharing stalemate, infighting in WBPCC has surfaced, affecting the ongoing tie up process badly.

Tussle over fielding of candidate in Bhowanipore constituency has revealed the infighting in WBPCC. Om Prakash Misra was named as the candidate and he started campaigning in the area. WBPCC president Adhir Chowdhury on Thursday proposed the name of Deepa Dasmunshi as the candidate from the seat. Dasmunshi said she would contest if the request came from Sonia Gandhi. WBPCC leaders remained silent over the matter. Even the workers do not know for whom they would campaign. Mamata Banerjee is contesting from the seat and BJP’s candidate is Chandra Bose.

Bhowanipore which was once a Congress stronghold has switched its allegiance to Trinamool Congress. The young generation is rallying behind the party. Though Mamata Banerjee is busy campaigning in other districts, her poll managers like Sovan Chatterjee and Firhad Hakim are looking after the constituency.

Meanwhile, the Left Front is yet to resolve the stalemate in 17 seats. The leaders of both the parties have almost realised that in these seats friendly fight is inevitable. They know that the Trinamool Congress will make this an issue in the poll campaign as in election there cannot be any friendly fights. Moreover, the arrogance of WBPCC president Adhir Chowdhury is not liked by the Left Front leaders and Front chairman Biman Bose had expressed his displeasure over Chowdhury’s statement.

“It is difficult to arrive at a consensus over seat sharing” said an RSP leader adding that “the over enthusiasm of some CPI(M) leaders  to make friendship with Congress might prove to be very costly.” The Front partners have already told that there would be no dais sharing with Congress. In the melee the CPI(M) is yet to bring out its election manifesto.