No scope of tie-up with Trinamool: Bengal Congress

KOLKATA: Even as Congress initiates talks on alliance and seat sharing with regional parties in some states, Bengal unit of Congress claimed that there had not been any discussion, not even at the initial level, with Trinamool Congress and there is “no scope for any negotiation with Mamata Banerjee who almost killed Congress in the state”. West Bengal Pradesh Congress Unit (WB PCC), that sent a proposal to its high command two months back advocating for a “broad-based partnership between Congress and Left Political parties’, in West Bengal to “achieve victory over non-BJP, non-TMC forces in Lok Sabha Elections 2019” also speaks of ‘secular front’ which according to them, “not possible without the inclusion of Left parties”

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently on a business trip to Germany, had reiterated her stand on the Opposition’s front and on the ‘important role’ that would be played by Trinamool Congress in 2019 elections. However, WB PCC president Adhir Choudhury said that Indian politics has now been "polarized in two groups - Modi led NDA and Rahul Gandhi led UPA" and that ‘there is no space for any other front’.

“No talk has been initiated with Trinamool Congress in Bengal and there is no scope of initiating talks with TMC. Mamata is the one who had almost murdered Congress in the. Moreover,she had unilaterally announced that her party would fight elections from all 42 seats. So there is no scope of any alliance and seat sharing talks,” said Choudhury, a four time Congress MP.

Banerjee, however, had given a formula to fight. According to her, the parties which are strong forces in their respective regions should fight alone and post elections there can be discussions on coalition.

According to senior leaders of Congress, the party is in talks with several regional parties like DMK and TDP in southern states, with SP in Uttar Pradesh, with RJD in Bihar, with Left Front and it is already in an alliance with JD(S). “Talks are on with regional parties in almost all states barring West Bengal. Bengal chief minister is waiting for H D Deve Gowda or I K Gujral type things to happen again. This does not look like a possibility this time,” said Choudhury. Banerjee’s federal friend TRS has ‘exposed’ them, he added.

A senior MP of TMC said that senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel calls Didi seeking support for some movements and for issues in Parliament. But, Congress did not involve TMC much in decision making.

PCC general secretary Omprakash Mishra in his proposal raised questions over the sanctity of the TMC-Congress-Left combination as it “ may be a great proposition in theory but in actual terms, supporters of each of the parties may oppose the candidates of other parties and may polarize the election in favour of BJP. From yet another standpoint, this type of a combination would be indefensible given that the Congress and Left are on the receiving side of continuous attacks on their supporters, engineered defection from their ranks..”

He further added, “TMC wishes to consolidate its position, both politically and electorally and yet remain independent of UPA so as to dictate terms. TMC maintains that Opposition parties should support each other and the dominant formation should be supported. This is translated as both Congress and Left taking a backseat in the LS election and leave the field open for TMC to maximize its advantages.”