Mamata must earn trust of Congress, Left for fighting together

Raising doubts over Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee's fight against the BJP, WBPCC president Somendra Nath Mitra Friday said she must show her sincerity and "earn trust" of the Congress and Left parties in fighting the saffron party together.

"An appeal to the Left parties and the Congress to fight together against the BJP" would not be enough to convince the parties which are fighting up against the saffron party, the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president said.

The West Bengal Chief Minister had recently reached out to opposition Congress and CPI(M) in the state Assembly to join her fight against the BJP in the state.

"She was responsible for the rise of the BJP in the state. We have to find out how sincere she is in her fight against the BJP...she must come forward clearly and has to earn the trust for fighting against the BJP.

"She used to send sweets and kurta to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and at the same time, she is saying her party is fighting against the saffon party. A double standard cannot be bearable," Mitra told reporters, responding to a query whether the Congress is willing to join hands with the ruling TMC to fight against the saffron party.

The Congress state leadership Friday organised a meeting with its district presidents to finalise a road map for the party in view of Assembly Elections due in 2021.

"We held a meeting with all the district presidents to discuss how to move forward politically and strengthen the party's organisational strength. We have placed a draft roadmap in the meeting and they have given their opinions. We will consider points raised by them," Mitra told reporters.

Despite collapse of the seat adjustment talks between the Congress and the Left ahead of recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Mitra said the districts' presidents were "in favour of an alliance with the Left parties", but they said the coalition should be "formed well in advance of the upcoming elections".

"District presidents said the proposed alliance should not be formed just before or during any poll so that people feel they are not doing any politics of opportunism," he said.

Mitra said weak organisational strength and lack of public relations were the major reasons behind the party's dismal performance in the state during the Lok Sabha elections, in which the party fought alone.