CPI(M) must accept tie-up with Cong was opportunistic: AIFB

Terming the Left Front-Congress alliance in West Bengal Assembly polls as "disastrous", All India Forward Bloc today accused CPI(M) of "forcing" the adjustment on its allies and said it must now accept the tie-up was "opportunistic".
AIFB also accused CPI(M) of not consulting other Left Front members before making the deal with Congress and said it should "rectify" its stand in the interest of Left unity.
Speaking to reporters after the AIFB central committee meeting here, party general secretary Debabrata Biswas said an AIFB delegation will call on the CPI(M) central leadership to share its concerns with them.
AIFB had contested 26 seats in the Assembly election held during April-May and could win only two seats in the 294-member House. The Left Front managed to win only 32 seats and was relegated to third position after TMC and Congress.

"The tie-up was disastrous... It is CPI(M) which initiated and finalised the alliance and seat-adjustment with the Congress. The leading party of the Front didn't consult other Front parties before making the adjustment... Other parties were forced to accept the adjustment in order to avoid division when the elections were at doorstep," he said.
He charged the CPI(M) leadership with creating confusion by its "double standards" with some of its leaders sharing platform with Congressmen while others refusing to do so.

He said that in an "immature campaign" some CPI(M) leaders supported the alliance publicly, while some refused to do so.

"By doing this immature campaign and acts, CPI(M) has virtually abandoned the Left unity, confused the voters and depended on Congress for electoral gain. The Visakhapatnam Party Congress of CPI(M) had declared it will work for Left unity as an alternative. But in the polls, it has totally gone against the letter and spirit of the resolution," he said.
Biswas said the tie-up helped Congress more than the Left Front which lost the post of Opposition leader to Congress.
He admitted that AIFB was part of the "mistake" of going with Congress in the polls.
He also expressed disappointment over the Front's dismal show in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Assam Assembly elections held around the same period.

He expressed concern over the growth registered by BJP in Kerala.
Asked about AIFB's decision to support Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala, Biswas said his party will "rectify" the stand and work for Left unity.
Biswas said the committee has decided to rejuvenate the entire organisation of AIFB "from top to bottom" by making changes in the leadership by December this year to expand party base.