Mamata reaches out to CPI-M, Congress for Bengal front; receives mocks

Speaking at the Legislative Assembly a day ago, Banerjee, in presence of CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty and Congress' Abdul Mannan, said as quoted by News 18, "I have apprehensions that the BJP would change the Constitution of India. I think all of us, including the Left and Congress, should join hands to combat the BJP.”

Sensing neither of the Opposition parties seems to be much interested in her proposal, the TMC supremo was quick to state that if not politically, the three parties- which have ruled the state since Independence in different times- must join hands nationally on common issues.

In a more surprising comment, Banerjee said she doesn't believe that her once-arch-rival CPI-M and the Congress would break the country into pieces. The comment seems to be ironical as not many years ago, it was the same Chief Minister who had termed the Congress as a "signboard party" but later came together nationally to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the General Elections 2019.

Banerjee had started her career as a Congress leader protesting against the Left Front regime. After forming her own party, she even overthrew the Left party from the power to conquer the Writers' Building in 2011.

Maintaining its dominance nationally, the BJP in 2019 made a huge inroad in West Bengal by winning 18 seats. Crushing the TMC's hope to win all 42 seats, the BJP had managed to reduce the state's ruling party from its 2014 Lok Sabha elections tally of 34 to 22.

Left, Congress mock Mamata for her proposal to form a front

Not sparing much time, the CPI-M immediately turned down Banerjee's proposal. In a tweet, CPI-M leader Md. Salim said: "We can’t say about the Congress, but CPI(M) is under no compulsion of saving @MamataOfficial’s career. She has lost the moral right of even giving this call of fighting the BJP in Bengal. The TMC does not have any credibility to fight fascism."

Not completely closing the door right now, the Congress, which has vowed to work with the TMC in the parliament, took a jibe at Banerjee.

In a statement, state Congress chief Somen Mitra said: "The Congress from its inception has been opposing the divisive politics of the RSS and the BJP. The Chief Minister used to say that the Congress has become a signboard. Can't understand why now she wants to join hands with that signboard only."

Alliances in Bengal

Interestingly in 2009 Lok Sabha elections and 2011 Assembly elections, the TMC and the Congress had joined hands and defeated the Left. But after assuming power, the TMC, which had an absolute majority in the house, developed a bitter relationship with the Congress, resulting in the breakup of the alliance.

In a later scenario, the Congress had formed an alliance with the Left in the 2016 Assembly elections but the results were dismal as the TMC returned to power with an increased number of seats.

However in the 2019 General Elections, despite a widespread discussion, the Left and the Congress failed to form an alliance in the state culminating in the wipe out of the Communist Party. The Congress' tally also came down from earlier four to two.