West Bengal: Left ready to work with any anti-BJP party, says Biman Bose

Bose told reporters in Tamluk in Purba Medinipur district, “We are ready to work with any anti-BJP party. This has been our stance whenever the need arose for a big movement against divisive forces, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kutch to Kohima.”

The CPI(M) had formed an alliance with the Congress and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) formed by cleric Abbas Siddiqui for the state elections. Sources in the CPI(M), however, said Bose’s comments do not signify an immediate shift in the party’s stance. The officials pointed out that the party would have to enact a resolution at its state committee meeting before adopting a new political position.

Taking a dig at Bose, BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya told reporters, “The Marxists have surrendered before the TMC, forgetting the atrocities against Left activists in the past 10 years. The CPI(M) has forgotten the attack on its activists in the 2018 panchayat polls by the Trinamool, and is ready to join hands with a blood-thirsty party. After losing relevance in the state, they have lost all self-respect.”

Meanwhile, a section of the Congress leadership, too, has said it is open to being on friendly terms with the ruling party in the state. On Friday, Congress leader Diptiman Ghosh said at a press conference, “We think that all forces that are against the BJP should come on a common platform. Mamata Banerjee did a lot to win this [Assembly] election. We should now try more ‘dosti [friendship]’ rather than ‘kusti [wrestling]’.”

However, not all Congress leaders have warmed up to the idea of an alliance with the TMC.