CPM dadagiri won8217;t do: AIFB

8220;There are only two states, Tripura and West Bengal, where the Left Front exists it is LDF in Kerala. We are contesting on our own in Tripura. The same could happen even in West Bengal,8221; Biswas told The Indian Express on telephone from Kolkata.

Explaining the reason for the party8217;s decision to walk out of the Left Front in Tripura, Biswas said the AIFB had wanted to contest from three seats. 8220;But they unilaterally announced their candidates for all seats, except one. We are not ready to accept such dadagiri on part of the CPIM. The Left Front was formed after a great struggle and every constituent wants respect from the other. If the CPIM wants parasite partners, we differ,8221; said Biswas. The AIFB is now contesting from 15 seats in Tripura.

8220;The CPIM will be responsible if anything happens to the Left Front,8221; said Abani Roy of the RSP, another Left Front partner which has extended 8220;moral support8221; to the AIFB on this issue.

The cracks in the Left Front had surfaced during violent agitations on the issue of land acquisition in Nandigram, when the CPI, the RSP and the AIFB had gone public with their opposition to the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Government8217;s plan. While these incidents brought the cracks to the surface, differences among the Left partners had actually started cropping up long back, especially in the context of the Left8217;s dealings with the UPA Government.

Junior partners of the Left Front were resentful of the way the CPIM took 8220;unilateral policy decisions8221; vis-agrave;-vis the UPA. As the UPA interlocutors kept in touch with the CPIM leadership 8212; and occasionally with the CPI 8212; on policy issues, the RSP and the AIFB were left seething with rage. It came to a head on the issue of Indo-US civil nuclear deal when the CPIM allowed the Government to go ahead with IAEA negotiations, ignoring the views of other LF partners.

A section of Left leaders, however, argued that the 8220;growing aspirations8221; of the CPI, the RSP and the AIFB were responsible for the cracks in the Left Front. 8220;As the CPIM is conscious of today8217;s reality and wants to go for industrialisation, these smaller parties see an opportunity to occupy the more radical space by opposing the CPIM. But, there is no threat to the Left Front because they know they cannot win a seat without help from CPIM cadres,8221; said a senior CPIM leader.