Congress-CPI (M) alliance in Bengal

A CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA, Feb 22: With differences still there between the Congress and the ruling CPI (M) in Tripura, over a proposed alliance between the two parties from different poles in West Bengal, the either parties are now busy in mudslinging in Tripura.

Recently two senior leaders of the Congress and the CPI (M) had accused each other making it clear that unlike their Bengal counterparts the Tripura units of both the parties are not very keen about such an alliance.

The picture became more prominent with AICC member and former Chief Minister Samir Ranjan Barman describing the CPI (M) as a party of traitors. Addressing a press conference, he said “Once these Communists used to draw the picture of Indira Gandhi as a witch and now they are holding the ‘leg’ of Congress to form alliance to save them.”

He also urged the Congress president not to fall into any trap laid by the left.

On the other hand, within hours after Barman’s press conference, the CPI (M) called for a press briefing and retorted. CPI (M) leader Gautam Das said, “It is the Congress who is holding the ‘leg’ of the CPI (M) to form an alliance in West Bengal. He said the CPI (M) central committee in a resolution urged the democratic and secular parties to come forward to form an alliance. It never med Congress. He further said the Congress is not a democratic party and there is no question of inviting them for an alliance.”