Ahead of panchayat polls, CPI(M) open to join Cong’s Yatra in Bengal

The Congress and the Left had come together in the 2016 Assembly polls that show Congress becoming the largest Opposition party. The two parted ways in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and came together again in the 2021 Assembly elections, resulting in a disastrous outcome for both the parties.

Rahul Gandhi during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jhalawar. (PTI)

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With panchayat elections around the corner, the West Bengal unit of the CPI(M) may accept the Congress party’s invite take part in the state version of the “Bharat Jodo Yatra”, hinting at the possibility of the two parties coming together once more.

The Congress and the Left had come together in the 2016 Assembly polls that show Congress becoming the largest Opposition party. The two parted ways in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and came together again in the 2021 Assembly elections, resulting in a disastrous outcome for both the parties.

However, with panchayat polls approaching, the two parties seem to be inching closer.

“The West Bengal version of the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is purely a party programme. So, we cannot participate with full force. However, if they invite us, we may take part in the Yatra as our token support,” a senior CPI(M) leader told The Indian Express. “We are not against tie-up with the Congress in the panchayat elections. Rather, it is necessary to make an alliance with the Congress to fight the TMC and BJP. So, before the elections, taking part in the Yatra will be a good exercise,” the leader added.

This is in total contrast to the stand taken by the CPI(M)’s Kerala unit, which criticised Rahul Gandhi for spending too many days in the southern state as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Meanwhile, Congress has started its preparation. Sources said they will formally invite CPI(M) and other secular Left parties in West Bengal to join the Yatra. The foot march will begin on December 28 from Ganga Sagar islands in south and will be led by state unit chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. The 800-km Yatra will end in Kurseong in the hills of Darjeeling in the north after 55 days.

At the start of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in Kanyakumari some three months ago, Rahul Gandhi said that his initiative was against the division of caste, religion and culture, and he invited everyone to join the padayatra.

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“Pradip Bhattacharya, our veteran leader will coordinate the whole Yatra. He has already spoken with Adhir Chowdhury and is very keen to invite Left parties to join the Yatra,” a Congress leader said.

“Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is not going through all the states, so separate state-wise yatras are being organised… The fight against price hike is one of the goals of Yatra. Law and order situation is also bad in West Bengal. Corruption is everywhere. So, I can see the understanding of the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP,” said Anand Madhav, the media in-charge of Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More

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