Congress might go solo in West Bengal in Lok Sabha polls: State Chief

Kolkata, Nov 18: West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra has said that it would be better for his party to go solo in the state in the next Lok Sabha election as the ruling TMC "lacks honest intentions" as an anti-BJP force.

Majority of the state Congress leaders are in favour of going solo in the polls even if it meant failure of the party to win even a single seat in Bengal, he said when asked about a possible alignment with the TMC or the Left for the general election.

Mitra, a veteran Congressman who had moved to the TMC, returned to his parent party and took over as the president of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) after a gap of two decades.

The Congress should prepare itself to fight alone against the BJP as well as the TMC in the state, he asserted.

"If you look at the past events, you will see that the TMC lacks honest intentions as an anti-BJP force. At the national level, whenever Congress called for any massive anti-BJP campaign, the TMC either evaded it or has sent one MP to register its attendance," Mitra told PTI in an interview.

The TMC raised a hue and cry over demonetisation, but "mellowed down" after its two MPs were arrested by CBI in the chit fund scam, he alleged.

The ruling party has also "maintained silence" on the Rafale jet deal too, Mitra said.

"We have told our party president Rahul Gandhi that we are in favour of fighting alone. He has said that we should work to improve our strength. But the final decision will be taken by the AICC and we will accept it," the state Congress president clarified.

Talking about the possibility of an alliance with the Left Front, he said it wouldn't be a "wise option".