TMC up in arms over CPI(M)-BJP \'joint\' operation

NEW DELHI: While there is a buzz over covert cooperation between the Marxists and the BJP for the panchayat elections in West Bengal, the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress is up in arms over a Central government advertisement with the picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in CPI(M) Bengali mouthpiece Ganahakti.

The advertisement, which appeared on Monday, is about the launch of an EMU train between Ranaghat and Bongaon with a quote by the Prime Minister.

TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy claimed the “advertisement makes the CPI(M)-BJP’s join covert joint operation against the TMC amply clear”. Talking about the CPI(M)’s vote transfer to the BJP in the last Assembly elections, Roy said: “What started during the last Assembly elections continues unabated.”

Eyebrows were also raised when CPI(M) leader Siuya Kanti Mishra and West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari appeared to be somewhat soft on each other’s outfits. While Mishra said “everyone was not bad in the BJP”, Adhikari returned the compliment by echoing similar sentiments. “All in the Left parties are not bad,” he had said.

Despite the tacit back-patting, CPI(M) West Bengal secretary Md Salim, at a party meeting, asked its cadres not to transfer votes to the BJP. However, a senior BJP leader from Bengal indicated that during the panchayat polls, “there could be some understanding between the BJP and CPI(M) at the local level”. The senior BJP leader said the “understanding at the local level in panchayat polls has nothing to do with diktats from the high command. It's all about survival”.

Incidentally, both the CPI(M) and BJP are aware that to have a major say at the national level in the 2024 general election, a favourable outcome for the party in the panchayat polls is absolutely essential for TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. A favourbale verdict will also boost Ms Banerjee's image, which has taken a major hit following a slew of scams and arrests of TMC leaders on corruption charges.

Meanwhile, as the panchayat polls draw near, the BJP is trying hard to strengthen its booth-level representation. An internal survey by the BJP indicated that the party has “poor booth-level presence.”

The senior leader, admitting that the party needed to strengthen its booth-level presence, claimed that the party workers were being “targeted by the TMC administration”. He claimed that the TMC has already “unleashed a reign of terror” in the state. The BJP feared that the violence during this year’s panchayat polls may be “worse than that of 2018.”