Congress leader Anand Sharma slams party's tie-up with ISF in West Bengal

Congress change seekers have struck again, with Anand Sharma on Monday questioning the party’s electoral alliance with Furfura cleric Abbas Siddiqui-led Indian Secular Front in West Bengal.

Sharma alleged joining hands with such outfits violated the core ideology of the party and Gandhian-Nehruvian secularism. He asked why such a decision was taken without taking the Congress Working Committee into confidence, putting the onus on the Gandhis-led AICC to work within the policy and strategic framework laid out by the CWC. Selective fight against communalism was not acceptable, he said.

“Congress’ alliance with parties like ISF and other such forces militates against the core ideology of the party and Gandhian and Nehruvian secularism... These issues need to be approved by the CWC,” Sharma, a CWC member and Congress’ deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, tweeted. “The presence and endorsement of West Bengal PCC president is painful and shameful, he must clarify.”


Adhir’s Clarification
West Bengal PCC chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: “The alliance with ISF was finalised by PCC in consultation with representatives of the Congress leadership… Had Anand Sharma asked me about it earlier, I would have explained to him”

Placating Prithvi
Congress high command on Monday sought to placate Prithviraj Chavan, one of the signatories to the joint letter of change-seekers, by appointing him chairman of the AICC screening panel for selecting candidates in Assam.