Cong focus: 80

Manifesto for Bengal released, will contest all 294 seats; blames Trinamool for failed 8216;Mahajot8217;

Indirectly conceding the party8217;s weak position in the state, top Congress leaders today admitted that they were focussing on only about 80 seats despite fielding candidates on all the 294 Assembly constituencies.

Releasing the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee8217;s final list of candidates today, Margaret Alva, the AICC general secretary in charge of the state, said the Congress and its allies were fielding candidates in all the seats. But she specified that the party8217;s top priority was only around 80 seats.

The party8217;s list released today also put to an end the month-long speculations about formation of an anti-Left Front 8216;8216;Mahajot8217;8217; with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

Alva said the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee leadership and the party high command had tried to convince Mamata, but failed. 8216;8216;The WBPCC had even offered Mamata the leadership of the proposed anti-Left Front. I told Mamata she was gambling with her own party. I think she needs good advisors,8217;8217; added Alva.

The Congress had earlier said no tie-up with Trinamool was possible unless it snapped ties with the BJP. But with Mamata remaining firm on staying with the NDA, the Congress decided to move ahead with its anti-Left poll campaign with regional political outfits.

Defence Minister and WBPCC leader Pranab Mukherjee, while releasing the party8217;s manifesto today, alleged that a possible Congress-Trinamool alliance had failed because of Mamata8217;s reluctance to part with the BJP.

The Congress manifesto too stresses on this point, stating that despite its offer to Mamata for leading the anti-Left alliance, 8216;8216;unfortunately the efforts failed8217;8217;. It also holds the Left Front government responsible for taking away people8217;s democratic rights.

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8216;8216;Our manifesto includes a 14-point programme. We are highlighting how the Left Front has misused the state machinery. It is important to know why the anti-incumbency factor hasn8217;t worked in West Bengal,8217;8217; said Mukherjee, adding, 8216;8216;They Left Front government have destroyed all institutional arrangements that support democracy.8217;8217;

Asked why the Congress had roped in Left support to form the government at the Centre, Mukherjee replied that forming a government was the need of the hour then. 8216;8216;It was a compulsion of the political situation,8217;8217; he said.