PTI
KOLKATA, FEBRUARY 19
With Congress and Left Front trying to forge an alliance in West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress today said it was “least bothered” about the development and alleged that both the parties have been “rejected” by the masses of the state.
On the other hand, Left Front today questioned Trinamool Congress’ silence on the situation in JNU and Jadavpur University. The TMC so far has not made any official statement on the JNU situation.
“When the entire country is speaking out against the police action on JNU student Union leader, TMC is maintaining a complete silence on this matter. Just like Prime Minister Narendra Modi is maintaining a silence on this matter. Till date not a word has been said by the Prime Minister,” Left Front Chairman Biman Bose told reporters here.
TMC general secretary Subrata Bakshi said, “We are least bothered about the alliance. We are bothered about the development work that has been done by us. Those, who are trying to forge an alliance, has been rejected by the masses,”
The West Bengal Congress yesterday had hailed the decision of CPI(M) seeking cooperation from all democratic forces by stating that each secular party in the state should respect the aspirations of the masses.
TMC’s national spokesperson Derek O’ Brien in a Facebook post said the Trinamool Congress will win with a comfortable majority, even if it has to fight against the Cong-CPI(M) alliance.
While countering a recent pre poll survey which has opined about a neck and neck fight between the alliance and TMC, O’Brien said, “This is a fictional story because on the ground Trinamool is way ahead. Even CPI(M) and Congress leaders admit it. The media house has decided that it is possible for the CPI(M) and Congress to overcome years of hostility in the state and transfer 100 per cent of votes to each other.
“I may remind it that even in Bihar, where Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar came together for the Assembly election, the vote transfer percentage between their parties was around 70 per cent,”.
“Can one expect the CPI(M) and the Congress to outperform that number in West Bengal? Independent observers are convinced that to transfer even 20 per cent of the vote will be a monumental task. TMC will still win very comfortably.”
The Left Front along with other Left parties is scheduled to take out a rally demanding the immediate release of student leader Kanhaiya Kumar on February 21, the International Language Day in Kolkata.
