Forward Bloc against Left Front-Congress alliance in Bengal

Amidst speculation of a CPI(M)-Congress alliance before next year's Assembly election in West Bengal, the All India Forward Bloc, a constituent of the Left Front, today said it was not in favour of aligning with the Congress to oust the ruling Trinamool Congress from power.
The AIFB's decision comes in the midst of reports that a large section of state Congress leaders are favourable to an alliance with the CPI(M)-led Left Front in order to oust the ruling TMC from power.
"We feel both BJP and Congress are capitalist forces. We should maintain a equi-distance from both these parties. Our party's stand is clear. We are not in favour of aligning with the Congress in order to take on the TMC in West Bengal. The Left will alone take on the ruling party," AIFB general secretary Debabrata Biswas told PTI.

Biswas said that the CPI(M) in its party congress had decided to maintain equi-distance from the BJP and the Congress, wondering what prompted to backtrack from that decision.
"The Left Front is not a regional force. If there is an alliance with the Congress in Bengal, what will happen in Kerala and Tripura where Congress is our main opposition?" Biswas wanted to know.
Asked if the AIFB would walk out of the Left Front in the event of the CPI(M) going in for the alliance, Biswas said, "This is a hypothetical question. It can't be answered this way."
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury earlier this month had said, "The question will come in January. We will tell you. Right now we are involved in struggles and party's organisational activities and our upcoming Plenum session.