Kolkata: CPI(M)-led Left Front in West Bengal on Thursday said the coalition is open to an alliance with Congress in the coming assembly election if it is approached.
Left Front leaders said after a meeting of 11 alliance parties that it was up to the Congress to clarify whether it wanted an alliance.
"If the Congress doesn't sit with us,how can we have a dialogue ? We will have a discussion if we sit together.But if the Congress does not want one,there is no question of it," Left Front Chairman Biman Bose said.
Bose, who is also CPI(M) Politburo member, however, ducked the question whether the Left would approach Congress if it declines to take the first step.
The major constituents of the Left Front are CPI(M), CPI, RSP and AIFB besides smaller Left parties.
The nod by Left Front to hold discussion with Congress comes just a day before the CPI(M) state committee meet which will take a call on electoral tactics, including the alliance with Congress.
The final decision on the issue of alliance will be taken by the party's central committee.
The alliance issue gained momentum in the last two months after several senior CPI(M) leaders sent feelers to Congress for a tie-up to oust the Mamata Banerjee government.
The Congress still has not taken a call as it does not want to antagonise Mamata nor its Kerala unit which has a bitter rivalry with the Left.
The CPI(M) too is in a dilemma as its central leadership is split over whether to ally with the Congress in Bengal and fight them in Kerala.
Comments
0 comment