Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, who is among the ’G-23’ leaders who have been pressing for a leadership change and organisational overhaul in the party, on Monday expressed displeasure over the decision of the West Bengal Congress to join hands with the newly formed Indian Secular Front (ISF) in the state.
Eager to pocket some of the 30 per cent Muslim votes in the state, the Congress-Left alliance is in talks with the Abbas Siddique-led ISF over seat sharing. The alliance had kicked off its poll campaign in the state on Sunday.
Sharma pointed out that Congress cannot be selective in fighting communalists and added that the party should fight communalism irrespective of religion an colour. "Congress cannot be selective in fighting communalists but must do so in all its manifestations, irrespective of religion and colour. The presence and endorsement West Bengal PCC President is painful and shameful, he must clarify," he tweeted.
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In another tweet, he said alliance with parties like ISF "militates against the core ideology of the party and and Gandhian and Nehruvian secularism." "Congress’ alliance with parties like ISF and other such forces militates against the core ideology of the party and Gandhian and Nehruvian secularism, which forms the soul of the party. These issues need to be approved by the CWC."
Earlier, talking about the ISF, West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had said the Congress-Left alliance was smooth until the ISF expressed desire for an alliance. "Left has already forged an alliance with them but Congress still has not been able to do it," ANI had quoted him as saying.
He said there has been "No direct negotiation with ISF, meeting is continuing with Left." "However one of our leaders spoke to them (ISF) but there has been no direct negotiation with our party," he added.
