This is an archive article published on December 24, 2020
It’s official: Congress announces alliance with Left front for Bengal assembly elections
While a section of Congress leaders believe a Congress-Left alliance could end up helping the BJP, the party's state unit was vehemently opposed to any pact with the TMC and had been insisting on a tie-up with the Left.
5 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Dec 25, 2020 12:41 AM IST
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted, “There is no confidence in Modi government’s assurances for discussions with farmers since these bills were passed without any prior discussion and by preventing a vote in the House.”
THE CONGRESS high command on Thursday gave the green signal to its West Bengal unit to enter into a seat-sharing pact with the Left parties for the forthcoming Assembly elections to take on the ruling Trinamool Congress and an aggressive BJP. While a section of Congress leaders believe a Congress-Left alliance could end up helping the BJP, the party’s state unit was vehemently opposed to any pact with the TMC and had been insisting on a tie-up with the Left.
West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told The Indian Express that the BJP and the TMC have the same “political DNA” and asserted that the Congress and the Left parties “occupy the secular space” in Bengal and still enjoyed the support of a large section of the population who believe in secularism and liberal democracy. He said it is the media which is projecting the Assembly elections as a fight between the TMC and the BJP.
“The impression (of a straight fight between the TMC and the BJP) has been gaining because of media hype. Because the media is trying to project that only two forces are there. But that is far from the reality and far from the truth. In West Bengal, the Left and the Congress… they occupy the secular space and still enjoy the support of a large section of the population who believe in secularism and in liberal democracy. So certainly we have our own constituents that will be reflected in the coming elections,” he said.
Today the Congress High command has formally approved the electoral alliance with the #Left parties in the impending election of West Bengal.@INCIndia@INCWestBengal
On possible division of anti-BJP votes, Chowdhury said, “We have to fight against the BJP and [Chief Minister] Mamata Banerjee both because we have been subjected to persecution by the ruling dispensation in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee is a regional poacher while the BJP is a national poacher.
Both are well adept in poaching operations in the opposition camps. To that extent, they are very much similar in their approaches,” he said.
He said it was not the responsibility of the Congress party to keep the anti-BJP votes together.
“On the one hand, we are subjected to atrocities and persecution by Mamata Banerjee… on the other hand, on the alibi of the BJP… [we have been asked] to ally with the TMC. This cannot be done… because we have been left between the devil and deep sea. We have to carve out our own space because the space has been snatched upon by the Mamata Banerjee government. And now she is facing the music. The way Mamata poached our people and dismantled our organisation… the same ploy is being employed by the BJP. They are identical in their politics of destruction. Both are the same in their attitude. Their political DNA is quite identical,” he said.
Explained
Battle for survival
For both the Congress as well as Left parties, the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal is a battle for survival. The high-octane campaign by the ruling TMC and the BJP saw the Left getting squeezed out in the Lok Sabha elections and the Congress plunging to two seats. The parties had fought the elections separately. Having decided on the alliance, the two hope to arrest the declining trend and pose a challenge to both the TMC and BJP.
Asked about Banerjee’s move to rally opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar and M K Stalin in her fight against the BJP on the issue of federalism, he said, “Federalism in India is certainly in peril. That is why our Congress chief ministers also extended support to Mamata Banerjee. As far as federalism is concerned, all the Opposition-ruled states are in peril. That is why all have to be united on that account. That is a different kettle of fish.”
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“Pawarji is a senior leader. He thought it prudent that on the issue of federalism all the states ruled by the Opposition should be united. That is why he has extended his opinion…. It is a common issue. There is nothing extraordinary in this approach.”
Asked how many seats will the Congress contest, Chowdhury said, “That stage has not come. During the course of discussions, factoring in other considerations like where we are strong and all… we will zero in on the number and choice of seats. Everything has been left to the state leadership… nothing has been imposed on us.”
“First of all we have to discuss and decide amongst ourselves that this many seats have to be demanded. Thereafter, we will propose to the Left parties,” he said.
Manoj C G currently serves as the Chief of National Political Bureau at The Indian Express. A veteran journalist with a career spanning nearly two decades, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the publication's coverage of India's political landscape.
Experience & Career: Manoj has built a robust career in political journalism, marked by a transition from wire service reporting to in-depth newspaper analysis.
The Indian Express (2008 – Present): He joined the organization in 2008 and has risen to lead the National Political Bureau, overseeing key political coverage.
Press Trust of India (PTI): Prior to his tenure at The Indian Express, Manoj worked with India’s premier news agency, PTI, honing his skills in breaking news and accurate reporting.
Expertise & Focus Areas: As a seasoned political observer, Manoj focuses on the nuances of governance and party dynamics.
National Politics: extensive reporting on the central government, parliamentary affairs, and national elections.
Political Strategy: Deep analysis of party structures, coalition politics, and the shifting ideologies within the Indian political spectrum.
Bureau Leadership: directing a team of reporters to cover the most critical developments in the nation's capital.
Authoritativeness & Trust: Manoj’s authoritativeness is grounded in his nearly 20 years of field experience and his leadership role at a legacy newspaper. His long-standing association with The Indian Express underscores a reputation for consistency, editorial integrity, and rigorous reporting standards required of a Bureau Chief.
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