Cong, Left keen on avoiding the collapse of alliance

In the wake of the collapse of the prospective alliance between the CPI(M)-led Left Front and Congress in West Bengal, both sides are keen on avoiding the blame for the falling out.

According to Congress sources, the state leadership has decided not to announce candidates in six Lok Sabha seats for now, as a gesture of courtesy to the Left Front.

“The way the Congress and Left Front blamed each other for collapse of the seat-sharing discussion may create an adverse impact on our voters. We want to ensure that the public does not get the impression that Congress is responsible for the collapse of-seat sharing discussions,” said a senior state Congress leader.

So far the Congress has declared candidates for 36 seats in Bengal.

State Congress president Somen Mitra has also indicated that his party may not field candidates for the Jadavpur and Bankura Lok Sabha seat, as a gesture of courtesy.

“CPI(M) candidate in Jadavpur Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya has played a key role in the fight to restore democracy in Bengal and against the misrule of the Trinamool Congres. We may not field candidate in Jadavpur,” said Mitra.

As for the Bankura Lok Sabha seat, Mitra said that former CPM MP Basudeb Acharya used to contest from the seat. He is a noted Parliamentarian. So we may leave that seat also.CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said that if the Congress withdraws candidates from the Raiganj and Murshidabad seats, won by CPM in 2014 then his party will also consider withdrawing candidates from some seats.

The collapse of the proposed Left-Congress alliance started with Congress’ staking claim over the Raiganj and Murshidabad seats.

The fact that Congress president Rahul Gandhi did not mention the seat-sharing issue in his recent rally in Bengal has further fueled speculations in the state Congress.