Opposition unity not to work in byelection : Basu

Kolkata, Sep 8 (UNI) With the Trinamool Congress and Congress forging a tacit understanding in West Bengal byelections, veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu claimed that the 'designs' of the two opposition parties would not succeed.

'' The Trinamool Congress and Congress have forged an unprincipled understanding against us. It is because they are devoid of political principles. But they will not succeed, '' he told reporters after attending the party's state secretariat meeting.

Mr Basu said the Congress and the Trinamool had entered into an alliance also in the 2001 Assembly election, but their efforts were in vain. '' They have now come to an understanding for byelections to Malda, Katwa and Purulia Parliamentary seats which the people will frustrate, '' he said.

Without going for any formal alliance, the Trinamool Congress had decided not to put up candidate in Malda, the domain of departed Congress leader A B A Ghani Khan Chowdhury, in support of the Congress.

The Congress had nominated Mr Khan Chowdhury's younger brother Abu Hasnat Khan Chowdhury in Malda against CPI(M)'s Sailen Sarkar.

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