Addressing the Pradesh Congress convention, WBPCC chief Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi urged the Trinamool chief not to criticise the Congress leadership.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, another veteran Congress leader, said that efforts were on to strengthen the organisation before the Lok Sabha elections.

Both the leaders stressed that it was not possible to form an alternative to the ruling Left government without the participation of the Congress. Dasmunsi claimed that some anti-Left parties had already expressed their desire to join hands with the Congress and discussions were on. He appealed to the leaders and workers not to leave the party.

The party will now try to focus on south Bengal, the leaders said.

Dasmunsi announced that the party will hold a demonstration before the district headquarters in north Bengal on September 3. “The agitation will focus on price rise, corruption in Sarbha Shikha Abhijan and the pathetic condition in the health services,” Dasmunsi said.

A similar agitation will be held in south Bengal on September 9. After that the Congress will try to block the Writers’ Buildings. The date will be announced later, Dasmunsi said.

Addressing party workers, Mukherjee said that the state unit is in a revival mode. Refuting the charges made by Left, Mukherjee said that the UPA government had followed the common minimum programme (CMP). It was the Left that had not co-operated and had created a roadblock in the passage of the Recognition of Forest Right Bill, 2005 which was included in the CMP, he added.

“The Congress will highlight the non-cooperation of the Left in implementing the CMP in its election campaign,” Mukherjee said.