WBPCC to 'wait and watch' on PM's TMC tie-up hint

No communication in this regard has reached the party unit in West Bengal yet, but it will watch the development

The West Bengal Congress will adopt a "wait and watch policy" on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's observation that an electoral alliance with TMC in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls is not ruled out.

Party leader Manas Bhunia today said that no communication in this regard had reached the party unit in West Bengal yet, but the party would watch the development.

"We have not yet received any direction in this regard from the AICC. We are only asked to strengthen the party organisation in the state. We shall rather wait and watch the development," Bhunia, a former WBPCC president, told PTI here.

Describing it as "nothing surprising", Bhunia said the Prime Minister had rightly expressed his mind stressing the need for a strong and secular democratic government at the Centre keeping the communal forces at bay.

"It is not at all surprising, because its obvious that PM has expressed his mind advocating a strong Centre with secular democratic forces in the interest of the country," Bhunia said.

Asked if the Congress would seek an alliance with the Trinamool Congress for the parliamentary election, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his way back from the G20 summit in St Petersburg yesterday said he did not rule out an alliance with the erstwhile ally in the future. "In politics there are no permanent enemies and permanent friends," Singh said.

Appreciating PM's observation on Mamata Banerjee, Bhunia said, "The PM has rightly said we had an alliance with Mamata Banerjee and she was an important member in the Union Cabinet."

"But, it is most unfortunate that Mamata Banerjee herself came out of the UPA government and severed all ties with the Congress despite the latter's repeated request to change her mind," Bhunia said.

Protesting against an observation by a section of political analysts that the Congress in Bengal has lost its ground, Bhunia said that records of previous elections tell how significant the Congress still is in the state.

"In 2004, TMC had only one MP, but the Congress had six. In 2006 Assembly elections TMC and BJP together won only 29 seats, while the Congress won 23 seats including two independents supported by the Congress," Bhunia said. Realising the importance of the Congress in the state, TMC chief preferred to contest the 2009 Assembly elections in alliance with the Congress and won 185 seats out of 229 seats it contested.

The Congress won 42 seats contesting in 65 sacrificing a lot for the alliance, he pointed out.

"This statistic clearly demonstrates the potential of the Congress in West Bengal in terms of electoral prospect," he felt.