Junior allies in Left get it right

Sources in the Front are of the opinion that CPM could end up losing more seats than its allies on May 16 when votes will be counted. The reason: a majority of the 32 seats,which the CPM is contesting,are vulnerable since Trinamool Congress has emerged as a strong contender there.

“In south Bengal,the CPM will have to face a tough battle against the Trinamool-Congress combine,” admitted a senior leader of the CPI.

In the rest 10 seats,which the Front partners are contesting,the parties are placed comfortably,except in a few.

The seats where CPM partners are comfortably seated are Alipurduar,Coochbehar and Balurghat — all in north Bengal.

One of the seats where CPM’s ally is on a sticky wicket is the Joynagar seat. The seat has been allotted to RSP but after the CPM’s debacle in the area during the last panchayat elections,a section of CPM’s rank and file have joined Trinamool. The RSP,like other Front partners,depends on the cadres of big brother for campaigning and hence weak CPM election machinery is a bad news for the ally.

“In parliamentary polls,we work together as a family. Unlike in panchayat polls,a division of Left votes will not be repeated. Moreover,we consider CPM’s loss as loss of all Left parties,” said Kshiti Goswami,RSP leader and state minister for PWD.

Forward Bloc is also getting headache in Barasat. First,it had to drop its sitting MP Subrata Bose and second the party fears losing Muslim support. Post Nandigram,the party fears that a substantial number of Muslim voters may shift allegiance to the Trinamool.

“We have reports that akin to panchayat polls,this time,too,the minority voters will rally behind Mamata Banerjee. This could spell a disaster for Forward Bloc in Barasat,” said a leader.