Speculation over FB's unity with CPM in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 12: State CPI-M secretary cum Left Front chairman Mr Biman Bose believes left unity (read unity with Forward Bloc) is a must in all districts of this state even in Cooch Behar in the ensuing three-tier Panchayat elections. He said this yesterday while he was replying a question from media persons at Rabindra Bhavan at Cooch Behar. His opinion is significant because soon after the last Assembly elections the Cooch Behar district committee of Forward Bloc under leadership of late Kamal Guha had declared that they would not participate in any programme or movement jointly with CPI-M in this district. And they are still following that decision.

 

It may be recalled here that Forward Bloc lost its two seats in this district in the last Assembly elections. Trinamul Congress candidate Mr Ashok Mandal defeated the Forward Bloc candidate Mr Udayan Guha at Dinhata and Congress candidate Dr Md Fozle Haque defeated the sitting Forward Bloc MLA Mr Nripen Roy at Sitai. Forward Bloc alleged that some local CPI-M leaders were behind the game and demanded measures against them. Later, displeased with the CPI-M's role they declared boycotting of all Left Front programmes jointly with CPI-M. After recent demise of Kamal Guha the CPI-M is expecting a change in Forward Bloc's attitude. As the main decision maker of the party Guha was known for his anti-CPIM stance. He was the chairman of the party's Bangla committee and general secretary of Cooch Behar district committee.

 

Meanwhile, district CPI-M secretary and Left Front convenor Mr Chandi Pal called the Forward Bloc to get back to the main platform of Left Front by leaving all disputes behind. He said Forward Bloc is a leftist party. It has basic difference with BJP or Trinamul Congress. "We should organise movements jointly everywhere as we did on earlier occasions." Only a few days' of difference between the CPI-M and the Forward Bloc should not be considered as a permanent one, he opined. He even hinted that they might invite the Forward Bloc to participate in the next meetings of District Left Front by sending letters to their (FB's) leadership.

 

When asked, a senior member of Forward Bloc's Cooch Behar district committee said that they are not considering anything over the matter at this moment. At the same time he said that the party leadership might adopt the right decision when time will come for that. He however reminded that Forward Bloc workers should follow the path shown by their passed away leader (Kamal Guha). Echoing him another FB leader said, as the elder partner of the Left Front it is the CPI-M's responsibility to make both ends meet. Political observers believe that if things go well both the Left Front parties may join hands before the next Panchayat polls. []

 

PHOTO : Traffic jam is a daily problem at the Railway level crossing along Jalpaiguri-Siliguri road in Jalpaiguri.