Mamata Banerjee takes dig at Congress-Left poll alliance talk

Burdwan: Cocking a snook at talks on a possible alliance between the CPI-M led Left Front and the Congress in poll-bound West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the people were in favour of a grand alliance of the masses. “The people are in favour of a grand alliance of the masses, which would be very powerful.

I have respect for a political party which feels about people, goes along with the masses,” Banerjee said while inaugurating the Mati Utsav (soil festival) here.

Mamata takes dig at Cong, Left “I have respect for a political party that does not talk about destruction. If one can carry everybody on board, that is tolerance,” she said.

Attacking the Communist Party of India-Marxist, she said whenever election comes near, a political party comes out of hiding and holds aloft posters saying “this should have been done, that should have been done”.

Referring to the Left Front’s 34-year-rule from 1977 to 2011, Banerjee wondered why they failed to perform during their long stint in power. With assembly elections around three months away, the CPI-M has been repeatedly sending out feelers to the Congress to form an alliance to take on the Trinamool.

Former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra and party politburo member Mohammed Salim had asked the Congress to take a decision on the issue. Many Congress leaders have also expressed a desire to tie up with the Left Front.

IANS