Post-Tripura polls, Forward Bloc considers contesting panchayat elections with CPM

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Express news service

Posted online: Sunday , March 30, 2008 at 02:12:34
Updated: Sunday , March 30, 2008 at 02:12:34

Kolkata, March 29 Almost a year after falling apart with the CPM, the Forward Bloc extended an olive branch to the party. At the Forward Bloc state secretariat meeting on Saturday, the party considered contesting the upcoming panchayat polls in alliance with the CPM.

Sources said the decision was taken following the Bloc’s poor performance in the Tripura Assembly elections. The party was also forced to seek CPM support to ensure a Rajya Sabha berth for its general secretary Debabrata Biswas.

Senior Forward Bloc leader, Hafiz Ali Sairani, said, “We will explain our stand at a press conference on Sunday. We held a meeting today to chalk out future plans and will be flexible, depending on the changing political scenario.”

Sources said Forward Bloc may now be seen toning down its criticism of the state government and intensifying efforts to improve relations with the CPM. Party leaders maintained that Bloc should not be viewed on the same lines as Opposition parties like the Trinamool Congress.

Over the last year, the rift between Forward Bloc and CPM had increased over issues like Nandigram, acquisition of agricultural land for industry and Dinhata police firing incident.

At its state council meeting in Bolpur last November, Bloc decided to contest the panchayat polls in the state alone. As a test, it also contested 15 seats against the CPM in the Tripura Assembly polls. However, the strategy backfired and it suffered huge losses.

“The Tripura elections showed that we are part of the Left Front government. The people did not accept us as an anti-CPM force,” said a senior Bloc leader.

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