CPM panel approves truck with Congress

Tie-up to counter TMC in Bengal and BJP at Centre

Giving into pressure from the Bengal state unit, the CPM central committee finally gave its blessings to the proposal for an alliance with the Congress, even though they have not fotmally announced it.

 The party’s top decision-making body agreed the need for tying up with “democratic forces” to counter the Trinamool Congress in Bengal and the BJP at the Centre.

The key to a successful electoral tactics in West Bengal is to “seek the cooperation of all democratic forces in the state to strengthen people’s unity in West Bengal to defeat the Trinamul Congress, isolate the BJP and their machinations”, the CPM central leadership stated in an official communiqué after a two-day meeting at Delhi.

They said that the “main task” in Bengal, a state CPM ruled for 34 years before losing in 2011, “is to restore democracy and foil the aggressive efforts by the communal forces to polarize the people in the state”. The communiqué explained that the decision was taken “in accordance with the political-tactical line adopted at the 21st Congress”.

The party laid down customised tactics for the five states — West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Assam — going to polls later this year. While the CPM will continue to fight against the Congress in the other states, all eyes are focussed on the Congress high command, which has been dragging its feet over taking a call regarding the alliance with Left in Bengal.

Not only have CPM leaders publicly urged them to consider their proposal on several occasions, there has been immense pressure from Bengal Congress leaders, majority of who are in favour of tying up with the Left to fight the forthcoming Assembly elections. Several off-the-record surveys have revealed that the alliance could leave a major dent on the side of ruling Trinamool, which is likely to sweep the polls in case of a four-way fight.