Apart from unifying the Left Front at the grassroots level, the party has been trying all sorts of permutations and combinations, even sharing seats with breakaway factions of the Opposition parties.

The Opposition parties are yet to form a grand alliance officially, but are tying up with each other at the local level.

For instance, in Midnapore town municipality, the CPM is sharing four seats with a breakaway faction of the Congress.

The Trinamool, too, has entered into unofficial alliances to capture the urban votebank. To combat the CPM in Dubrajpur municipality in Birbhum, the Congress, Trinamool, BJP and PDCI have formed an alliance and will be sharing seats in the forthcoming civic polls.

“During the panchayat elections, we failed to achieve unity among the Left Front partners. But during the civic polls, things are going to be different. We will enter into alliances at the grassroots level. Candidates have also been chosen after detailed discussion with Front partners,” said a senior CPM leader.

According to Trinamool spokesperson Saugata Roy, “Our official position is that our party will not enter into any alliance. But I have heard that in some municipalities like Dubrajpur, there has been some understanding at the local level. One must understand that these municipalities are small and very few in numbers. But we will definitely get an indication of the acceptance of our political stand by the urban masses.”

Civic polls will be held in 13 municipalities in West Bengal on June 29. While the polls would be a referendum for the CPM's land acquisition policy and a test of its organisational strength in urban areas, for Trinamool it may ascertain the party’s growth in the urban areas as well.