Surjya Kanta Mishra to be face of Congress-Left alliance

The CPI-M's West Bengal unit secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra would be the leader if the Congress-Left Front alliance emerges victorious in the assembly polls, former state Congress president Manas Bhunia said on Sunday.

Jointly campaigning in Narayangarh in West Midnapore district, both Mishra and Bhunia exuded confidence of the tie-up achieving its target of ousting the "despotic" Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress from power.

"I have already declared it that if the Left democratic force comes to power, Surjya Kanta Mishra will be its leader," said Bhunia, a day ahead of the first of the six-phase elections for 294 assembly seats.

So far, both the Congress as well as the Communist Party of India-Marxist spearheaded Left Front have remained evasive in declaring their chief ministerial candidate.

Targeting the Banerjee regime, Mishra, who is also Leader of Opposition, exuded confidence of the Congress-Left tie-up bearing fruit.

"Such has been her tormenting ways that a massive alliance of people has taken shape. Nobody prefers to be on her side, even her own men are leaving her. This is definitely the chief minister's biggest achievement," said Mishra.