Fresh trouble for INDIA bloc in Bengal as Cong, Left Front disagree on seat sharing

After the jolt from the Trinamool Congress, the seat sharing hitches between the Congress and the Left Front are causing a fresh disquiet to the beleaguered INDIA bloc in West Bengal.

The two constituents are engaged in hectic bargaining to untangle the bind created by competing demands in several constituencies, raising doubts about smooth transfer of votes between alliance partners.

The interlocutors on both sides are treading with caution, keeping in mind murmurs of dissents that have already surfaced over the deal struck in certain seats.

The Congress and the Left Front so far have been able to finalise candidates for 31 of the state’s 42 seats after several rounds of discussions.

The grand old party has named nine candidates and is eyeing for 10 more seats. The Left has finalised its nominees for 23 seats. These seats include Cooch Behar where an understanding could not be reached due to which both Congress and a Left Front constituent Forward Block have joined the fray.

Smaller parties reluctant to give up seats

The smaller parties in the Left Front are particularly reluctant to forsake seats from their quotas.

The Forward Block is reportedly insisting on filing candidates for Purulia even though the Congress has already announced its candidate there. The CPI and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) too are demanding that they be allotted at least two seats each so that they could retain their vote share, crucial for their existence.

The Congress sources told The Federal that it is hopeful of a breakthrough by March 31. But at the same time, the party expressed apprehension that a seat-sharing deal by itself might not ensure smooth transfer of votes between INDIA partners.

The apprehension largely stems from growing bitterness between a section of the Congress and the Left leaders over seat sharing discussions.

Disgruntled leaders write to Kharge

Four district units of the Congress in West Bengal dashed a letter to party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge with a copy also being sent to Rahul Gandhi and other leaders, expressing their dismay over seat sharing arrangements.

“It is indeed very much shocking and disappointing for the Congress workers and leaders in West Bengal to know about the seats which the Left Front (CPI(M) and others) left for the Congress to contest. Most of the seats which are being given to the Congress are the seats where the party has least chances of winning,” district presidents of the party’s South Kolkata, Murshidabad, Purba Midnapur, Jalpaiguri and Jhargram units said in the joint communique.

The district presidents also shared their discontentment over not been taken into confidence by the party’s state leadership when seats sharing talks were being held with the Left Front.

“It is to our utter surprise that until the present date no consultation has been made so far with the Congress district presidents in West Bengal regarding alliance and other things related to upcoming Lok Sabha election in 2024,” read the letter sent on March 26, a copy of which has been availed by The Federal.

One of the signatories to the letter said since the seat sharing arrangement has been imposed and not organic, it may not find resonance on the ground.

“The entire process lacked seriousness. It has been done haphazardly,” the Congress leader said.

‘Seat-sharing lacked seriousness’

Several Left constituents share his view.

“A lower rung leader Niloy Pramanik was initially sent by the PCC to hold discussions on seats with Bimanda (Left Front’s octogenarian chairman Biman Bose),” a front leader said, questioning the Congress’s attitude towards its alliance partners.

The Left Front is also peeved over the Congress for not setting aside enough seats outside Bengal.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and his CPI counterpart D Raja sought an appointment with Kharge to convey their disappointment on the same, Left Front sources said.

Incidentally, the CPI(M) and CPI leaders did not attend the concluding rally of Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai earlier this month.

The INDIA bloc got the first setback in Bengal when the TMC decided to go solo in the parliamentary elections.

It got another blow when the Indian Secular Front (ISF) unilaterally announced candidates for eight seats. The party was part of a non-BJP, non TMC grand alliance in the state’s 2021 assembly elections.

Efforts have proved futile so far to convince the ISF to withdraw its candidates in the seats where either the Congress or the Left Front is contesting.