Congress-Left want to make some 'space' for parties interested in this alliance, says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

By Joymala Bagchi
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], February 16 (ANI): The final decision on seat sharing between the Congress and Left Front for the West Bengal assembly election is yet to be taken as both the parties want to give 'space' to other parties interested in this alliance, said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Kolkata.
In a press conference at Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM] headquarters on Alimuddin Street, Chowdhury, president of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) said, "We don't want to speak on the seat-sharing because while our discussions were on, a few political developments took place here in Bengal.
Indian Secular Front (ISF), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and other such political parties said there is a need to get incorporated in this Left-Congress alliance, Chowdhury said.
"Naturally we have to leave some space for them otherwise these political parties might get the wrong message that we left them. We don't want to give that opportunity of misunderstanding to anyone. We want to leave some space for them," Chowdhury added.
Since the beginning the Cong- Left parties decided on teaming up with each other for the upcoming assembly election primarily against Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The alliance believes that the communal forces of West Bengal never wanted the coalition.
"There was an atmosphere that suggested this election is a fight between BJP and TMC. However, now the wind has changed its direction. People will say that the election will be between BJP, TMC, and Congress-Left," Chowdhury told reporters.
On February 28 the Left-Congress will hold a public meeting at the brigade, sources said.
Earlier, the Congress party and the Left Front alliance held two rounds of meetings and finalised a seat-sharing agreement for 193 of the total 294 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections.
In 2016's assembly polls Left and Congress came together and bagged 76 seats whereas TMC then bagged 211 seats.
The conference was also attended by Left Front chairperson Biman Bose, Mohd Salim and senior Congress legislator Abdul Mannan.
The state of West Bengal is gearing up for an assembly election for 294 seats this year. The tenure of the current government in the state of West Bengal is coming to an end on May 30. (ANI)