Left parties, Bengal Congress discuss seat-sharing ahead of polls

West Bengal Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) conducted a meeting on Thursday to discuss seat-sharing ahead of the 2021 Assembly Elections in the state.

Biman Bose, chairman of the Left Front along with Congress’ Abdul Mannan along with other Left leaders held a meeting after central leadership of both parties permitted the state units to discuss seat-sharing arrangements.

“Seat sharing was discussed, but there has been no conclusion to that discussion as yet. Further talks will take place,” Bose was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Both CPI(M) and Congress have attacked Trinamool Congress over the state’s law and order situation and on December 31 demanded that the Mamata Banerjee-led government prove its majority in the assembly.

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said that he does not believe that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has the support of an adequate number of legislators. “Many ruling party MLAs have told me in private that the government is apparently scared to call an assembly session. They also claimed that governance was getting affected due to the prevailing confusion,” Chakraborty was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury earlier this week said he does not want to take the TMC along with other Left parties in its objective to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He cited a strong anti-incumbency sentiment prevailing against Mamata Banerjee government as a reason behind his decision. He also pointed out that TMC was a former ally of the BJP.

“The anti-incumbency sentiment against the TMC government runs so deep and so large that any unity of all the anti-BJP forces will only help the BJP more. It will be counter productive. People have great anger against the TMC. Aligning with Trinamool will therefore only turn people against us and help the BJP,” Yechury was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Congress leaders have also intensified their attacks on Mamata Banerjee-led government amid TMC suffering from a series of defections. Abdul Mannan after hearing reports of discontent in TMC’s ranks had challenged chief minister Mamata Banerjee to prove her majority in the assembly. “If your claim is true, please appear for a floor test in assembly,” the Congress leader said.

Trinamool Congress is likely to face a close contest in the legislative assembly elections which are scheduled to take place later this year. BJP leaders have travelled to Bengal multiple times with union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda leading the charge. BJP president Nadda will once again visit the state on Saturday to review the state BJP unit’s preparations for the elections. The state has also seen incidents of violence during rallies and skirmishes between party cadres which has raised concerns among ordinary citizens and lawmakers alike.