Congress President Sonia Gandhi is under pressure to seek a categorical assurance from Trinamool Congress chief Banerjee that she will not ally with the rival National Democratic Alliance (NDA) after the Lok Sabha polls before the two parties joins hands. Gandhi has asked External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to look into the possibility of extracting a written assurance from Banerjee.
Although a large section of the Congress state leadership desperately wants an alliance with the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, others are unsure about Banerjee’s stand after the polls. “If there is an alliance, the TMC will also benefit from the shift of votes. But is there any guarantee she will not shift towards the NDA after the polls? So, will the Congress help her win more seats?” Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury recently told Gandhi.
On Thursday, at a national meeting of the Mahila Congress — the women wing of the party — state unit president Maitreyi Saha appealed to Gandhi not to give unconditional support to Banerjee’s party. Even Mukherjee believes that there should be some commitment from her side.
The Congress has five MPs from the state in the current Lok Sabha while the Trinamool Congress has just one (Banerjee herself). But after the recent swing in the various local polls, it is estimated that if the two sides join hands, the Left parties may lose up to 20 more seats.
While Banerjee is yet to make up her mind about any commitment, the Left parties—which parted ways with the UPA over the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal — have indicated they are ready to play a second innings with the Congress at the Centre. The CPI(M) will, at its ongoing Central Committee meeting, firm up its strategy keeping in mind possible post-poll support to the Congress. The CPI(M) has already roped in the AIADMK and the TDP and signaled that it is open to a secular alliance with the Congress.
