The Left Front clarified that though it won't form any alliance with the Congress for the upcoming bypolls in six assembly constituencies in West Bengal, there is “no misunderstanding either” with the grand old party.
On Tuesday, the Left leadership visited Bidhan Bhawan, the headquarters of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC), to pay tribute to Hafiz Alam Sairani, a former state minister, who passed away on Monday, where they proclaimed that there was “no misunderstanding” with the Congress.
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The Left Front has formed alliances with the Indian Secular Front (ISF) in Haroa and with the CPI(M-L) Liberation in Naihati. Though the Left hoped for an alliance with the Congress, it said the discussions did not go as per plan after Subhankar Sarkar replaced Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as the WBPCC chief.
“Congress was supposed to get one [of the six] seats. But, they failed to make their move in time,” CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim told the media. “But, there is no misunderstanding. The new Congress president has discussed with the Left Front chairman the possibility of a future alliance.”
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Following the announcement of bypolls in Naihati, Haroa, Sitai (SC), Madarihat (ST), Medinipur, and Taldangra, there were speculations that the Left Front and Congress might reunite in West Bengal, continuing their partnership since 2016. They are also jointly contesting the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls.
However, Sarkar, reportedly, consulted district-level leaders who advised contesting the bypolls independently. The state leadership favoured an alliance with the Left Front, but the party failed to reach a consensus in time.
Two Left Front members—the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)—also opposed any seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress for the upcoming bypolls. Their discontent stemmed from the speculation that the Congress, in an alliance, might seek seats in north Bengal, an area where the AIFB and RSP believe they hold a stronger presence.
After the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, both parties had declared they would not support any future alliance with the Congress.