CALCUTTA, Jan 13: Scotching rumours that talks between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamul Congress have reached a deadend, the leaders of both the parties expressed the hope that the alliance would be clinched by the weekend.Confirming this Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee said in the first election rally in her South Calcutta Constituency here yesterday, ``the talks between the parties are on and we expect a positive outcome soon.''
Mamata also declared: ``the Bangla Bachao Front is very much alive and her party would fight the coming election jointly with the political allies and vowed not to allow the anti-CPI(M) votes divided.''
Incidentally, the announcement assumes significance at a time when the speculation about the future of the talks betweeen the parties left a large section of political observers disillusioned, leading many to believe that the sharp differences within the Trinamul on the issue might blotch up the tie-up talks.
The speculation also left the state BJP leaders
equally `disillusioned' to quote the state president Tapan Sikdar. With an important minority leader and `the old Congress war horse' Sardar Amjad Ali quitting the Trinamul on Sunday saying that ``he was disillusioned with the Trinamul's working out an alliance with `the communal BJP', the speculation about the uncertainty also gained momentum.
However, the Trinamul leaders, who were not forthcoming in their statements on these issues earlier, also helped what `they scotched as rumours' here today, with only state BJP leaders maintaining that `talks are on and despite differences, we hope to reach to an understanding.'
Later, speaking to the ENS, Bansi Lal Soni, an important state BJP leader, also aired the same view and expressed hope that an agreement on the issue of seat sharing would be finalised before the 15th. The state BJP leaders who returned here on Monday after talks with the Central leaders in Delhi were apparently told to clinch the deal with Mamata as soon as possible.
The state leaders
now want to do so even if that means a couple of seats less than they had originally bargained for.
This has been an important shift in a sense that the Trinmul leaders began speaking in public to clarify their position on the issue after a long time.
Meanwhile, in another rally the West Bengal Pradesh Congress, maintained their earlier position and rolled out a severe attaack on the Trinamul for `inviting the communal BJP in the state.' The important pradesh leaders, including Pranab mukherjee, who attened the meeting here today, criticised Mamata for trying to work out an alliance which smacked of political opportunism.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
