CPI(M) not to ally with 'opportunist' Trinamool: Yechury

Ruling out at any alliance with Trinamool Congress in Bengal, CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury today said TMC is talking of an alliance to save its political space in the state.
It was due to the policies of Congress that communal forces have gained ground in the country and there was a need to set up a non-Congress democratic secular front and Trinamool Congress had helped communal forces to grow in Bengal because of its vote bank politics, he said.
"TMC is now talking of unification of secular forces. What are their credentials? It is the Trinamool which has fed communal politics to the state. Now when they are losing grounds, they are talking of an alliance with secular forces. There can be no alliance with an anti-democratic, communal, and opportunist political force like TMC," Yechury said while speaking at the birth centenary celebrations of CPI stalwart Bhupesh Gupta in the city.

"The basis of strengthening the secular forces is strengthening the democracy. Trinamool Congress is killing democracy in Bengal for the last three years. The communal forces couldn't stretch their wings in Bengal during the Left rule, but it is during the TMC rule that they have gained ground," he said.
When asked by reporters about the photo opportunities with Mamata Banerjee at a program in Delhi commemorating 125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, Yechury said, "Smiling doesn't cost. It was the seating arrangement that was made in that way in that programme."
When asked whether the Left was open to aligning with Congress in order to stop BJP, the CPI(M) leader said, "There is no question because it is due to the policies of Congress that BJP has gained ground in the country. That's why we are talking of a non-congress secular democratic front.

"The programme was attended by leaders of all 16 Left parties, who a few days back jointly adopted a resolution against communalism. The event was also attended by veteran CPI leader A B Bardhan and Forward Bloc General Secretary Debabrata Biswas.