Cong initiates move to unite ‘democratic’ parties – The Statesman

Posted on Monday, May 12th, 2008 by in Politics.

With an objective to defeat the CPI-M in the next Assembly election, the Congress initiated a move to unite all secular, democratic parties in the state. On the basis of this calculation the Congress had a seat adjustment in gram panchayat level of the rural polls with some Leftist parties, even partners of the CPI-M in the Assembly.

After the panchayat elections are over, the Congress, being a large secular force in the state will appeal to all democratic parties who have a secular view to unite with Congress. They also want Trinamul Congress’s participation. In such cases the Trinamul will have to part with the NDA and BJP. After the panchayat election we will approach some Left parties who are with CPI-M in the state.

We do believe that some Left parties who are frequently being dishonoured by CPI-M will join our move. “If everything goes well it will be possible to defeat CPI-M in next Assembly election,” said the Union I&B and Parliamentary affairs minister as well as West Bengal Pradesh Congress president Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi while he met members of the Press at Bidhan Mancha in Raiganj today just before the start of election campaign in Dinajpur districts.

Mr Das Munshi also predicted the Congress will win in Murshidabad and Malda Zilla Parishad seats in the state .However the percentage of votes for the Congress will rise extensively in the state in this rural election. “On the third phase election the CPI-M have planned to capture booths in Kaliyachawk, Sujapur and Araidanga in Malda district. We requested the state election officer to deploy BSF force there for peaceful election” he said.

In the first phase of the three -phase panchayat polls held yesterday in Nandigram where a clash took place between CPI-M goons and CRPF over the issue of booth jamming, capturing of booths and casting of proxy votes Mr Das Munshi said: “I have requested the Union Home department to conduct an investigation and take necessary measures over the issue”.

Source: