CPI says yet to receive proposal on alliance with Congress

The Communist Party of India was yet to receive any proposal from the CPI-Marxist regarding any tie-up with the Congress for the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls, a senior CPI leader said on Sunday.

Gurudas Dasgupta, a former CPI parliamentarian, said the matter was yet to be discussed in any meeting of the Left Front, of which both the communist parties are members.

However, Dasgupta said his party was prepared to do whatever was needed to protect democracy and end the "misrule" of the Trinamool Congress in the state.

"We are for strengthening Left unity, which should not be compromised under any circumstances. We also feel that democracy has to be protected in West Bengal. And the people have to be saved from the misrule of the Trinamool. In that regard, we have to do whatever was needed."

"But so far, we haven't received any proposal from any party (read CPI-M) regarding any alliance with the Congress. No one has discussed the issue with us. It has not been discussed in the Left Front meetings also.

"First, let us receive the proposal, then we will take a call on this," said Dasgupta after the party's state council meeting.

With the polls less than three months away, the state leadership of the CPI-M has been making overtures to the Congress for a joint fight against the Trinamool.

Recently, a majority of state Congress leaders conveyed to party vice president Rahul Gandhi their desire to team up with the CPI-M at the hustings.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will take the final decision on the possible alliance.

The Marxists have announced they would formalise their stand at a two-day state committee meeting from February 13.

The state committee's decision would be conveyed to the CPI-M central committee, which is scheduled to hold a three-day session beginning February 16 to take the firnal decision on the alliance.