West Bengal polls to be a keen contest, says Bardhan

Nagpur, Feb 6 (PTI) The CPI has said the forthcomingAssembly elections in West Bengal will be a keen contest andexpressed the hope that the Left Front will retain power inthe state.

"The West Bengal Assembly elections will be a keen andbitter contest," CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan told PTI.

Trinamool Congress poses a formidable challenge, butdespite some "mistakes", the Left Front Government will beable to retain power, said Bardhan, whose party is part ofthe ruling alliance in West Bengal.

The veteran Communist accused Mamata Banerjee''s party ofhaving links with the Maoists.

The pre-poll violence has exposed the nexus between TC andthe Maoists. Recent raids on a guest house found armed Maoistsat TC premises, the 85-year-old CPI leader said.