In West Bengal, the INDIA bloc is now synonymous with confusion. Though the Trinamool Congress, Congress, and Left are crucial members of the alliance, there is a question mark on who stands with whom.
Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has clarified that she is ready for an alliance to fight the BJP. According to experts, the ball is now in the court of the Congress and the Left as Banerjee, who was in Delhi for the alliance meeting, has set December 31 as the deadline for the Grand Old Party to take the final call on seat sharing.
The Congress called its Bengal unit leaders to Delhi to understand their requirements, as the high command is aware of the uneasy relationship between the cadres of the two parties on the ground.
In their meeting, Bengal leaders conveyed to the seniors that TMC cannot be relied upon, but if the alliance is an absolute requirement, then Congress should seek 6-7 seats from Banerjee’s party of the total 42 seats in Bengal. Sources told News18 that the Congress high command has assured Bengal leaders that their demands will be taken seriously.
As per sources, Congress wants Berhampore (Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s seat), Maldah, Darjeeling, Raigunj, and some other seats. However, TMC sources say the party is not interested in giving up more than two seats.
Meanwhile, the Left too is in a soup because, since 2016, it has been in an alliance with the Congress and if the TMC and Congress join hands now, the Left may be sidelined.
Speaking to News18, CPIM secretary Md Salim said: “We are not hanging in between. Congress has to decide what they will do. In Bengal, the case is unique. Here we are fighting both the BJP and TMC. We are always ready to ally with anyone who is against BJP and TMC.”
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the party’s stand was clear. “Now Congress will have to see if it wants to shake hands with Left or TMC.”
In Bengal’s political triangle, all eyes are now on the Congress and its next move.
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