WB: Adhir Chowdhury stresses on continuing Congress-Left alliance

Kolkata, May 27: West Bengal Congress president Adhir Chowdhury on Thursday emphasised on the need to carry forward the tie-up with Left Front in the state despite the alliance's dismal performance in the just-concluded Assembly election.

He also accused Trinamool Congress, which won 211 seats in the election in the 294-member house, and BJP of having a tacit understanding.

"The alliance of Congress and Left Front is an open book while Modi-Didi (Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee) are having a tacit understanding. In Bengal, the political equation has changed," he said while addressing Left workers at a protest rally here.

"On the one hand, there is a political combination between Trinamool Congress and BJP which has not been formalised. On the other hand, there is another political combination between Congress and Left parties which has been formalised. Our joint fight will continue against the TMC and the BJP," he said.

The Kolkata District Left Front has organised a two-day sit-in demonstration to protest the ruling party's "attacks" on opposition party workers which began after the declaration of Assembly election results.

Chowdhury and senior Congress MLA Abdul Mannan attended the meet and shared the dais with CPI(M) state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra and other Left leaders. Both Chowdhury and Mishra emphasised on the need to continue with the Left-Congress alliance despite the poll debacle and said both parties would launch movement against the ruling TMC.

"The TMC believes in politics of elimination. But we have to stand united to counter upcoming challenges. Be it inside the Assembly or outside on the streets, we will fight together against the TMC," Chowdhury said.

Echoing the same, Mishra said chief minister-to be Mamata Banerjee should prepare herself to face a bigger protest movement.

"As soon as Mamata Banerjee was elected to power again, she transferred some officers who had worked impartially. She believes in vindictive politics and wants to create an Opposition-free state. However, she will fail as we stand united," he said.

"The Left parties and Congress will never run away from the battlefield. There are bigger challenges ahead and the unity of people will give her a befitting reply," he said.

Both Left Front and Congress have decide to boycott tomorrow's swearing-in ceremony of Banerjee.

PTI