CPI(M)-Congress tie-up suffers major jolt

The alliance of Congress with the Left Front received a major setback on Friday before it could even take a proper shape. Trinamool Congress defeated Congress in Kandi municipality election in Murshidabad, the fiefdom of WBPCC President Adhir Chowdhury.

Trinamool Congress has brought a no-confidence motion against the Congress chairman of the century old Kandi municipality. The Congress decided to take support from the Left Front in the presence of Chowdhury who was present during the election. Interestingly, one Congress councilor voted for Trinamool Congress. Trinamool  won the municipality election by 9-8 votes.  After the election, Chowdhury said that he would move to the High Court against the decision.

Meanwhile, Congress members put up posters  all over the city, opposing the alliance with Left. The posters read that CPI(M) had called Indira Gandhi a witch in the 1970s and Rajiv Gandhi a thief. The government of Narsimha Rao was criticized by CPI(M) and BJP after which CPI(M) withdrew its support from the UPA government. If the electoral alliance with CPI(M) is made, then many leaders and workers will leave the party to join Trinamool, said a senior leader. Congress MLA from Sabang Manas Bhuniya met Sonia Gandhi and told her not to go for the alliance. Deepa DasMunshi, Sourav Chowdhury, DP Rai, have decided not to contest in the election if alliance with CPI(M) is made.

Senior party leaders opposing the alliance said that the party would virtually split if there was electoral alliance with CPI(M). “CPI(M) has always been our arch rival”. The Communists said, “Yeh Azadi Jhuta Hai bhulo mat, bhulo mat.  It is the biggest opportunist party and  any alliance will affect the interest of Congress.” Meanwhile,  the  meeting of the Left Front did not pass off smoothly. 

Veteran RSP leader Abani Roy said that the Central Committee’s decision on the alliance was incomplete. “Efforts should  be taken now to clear the grey areas,” he said.  Gurudas Dasgupta of CPI said  that the Congress should  come  for the alliance as no discussion  on the alliance with democratic and secular forces was complete without Congress.