Interestingly, in the last assembly polls held in 2016, Congress fought in alliance with the Left parties and secured 44 seats to emerge as the second-largest party.
(Source: IANS)
In the run-up to the West Bengal Assembly Elections slated to be held next year, the Congress high command has given its nod for an alliance with the Left parties for the crucial polls.
“Today the Congress High command has formally approved the electoral alliance with the Left parties for the impending election in West Bengal,” said Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhry.
Interestingly, in the last assembly polls held in 2016, Congress fought in alliance with the Left parties and secured 44 seats to emerge as the second-largest party. However, half of its MLAs joined the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
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However, it is not clear how many seats the Congress will contest but party sources say Congress wants a fair share in the seat-sharing agreement.
Jitin Prasada, the Bengal Congress in-charge said the talks on seat sharing will begin but the party will fight with full force to restore the pride of Bengal which is being “destroyed by the BJP and TMC”.
Congress faces a formidable challenge in Bengal from the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP, which is fast emerging as a force to reckon with in the poll-bound state.
The 294-member Bengal Assembly will go to the polls next year. While the Trinamool Congress has the challenge to retain power, Congress also has to retain its ground in the state.
The Congress is also up against an upbeat BJP which has made inroads in the state after winning 18 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general election. The Congress was in a dilemma over whether to go with the Left or the Trinamool.
But its state leaders have been talking to the Left informally and holding programmes in the state simultaneously.
(With IANS inputs)
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