CALCUTTA, March 30: Mamata Banerjee's formal invitation to state Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, to join the Bangla Bachao Front (BBF) for the coming panchayat election, indicates that both partners are willing to take an early decision on the issue.In a message, the Trinamul Congress (TC) told its partners, particularly the BJP, to take up the issue of going to panchayat polls unitedly and seriously so that last-minute "hitches weren't allowed to snowball to the advantage of the CPI(M)."
The Front, which she hopes will include the state BJP in the panchayat polls, must give priority to the issue of alliance and take an early decision, she said. Mamata has already asked the leaders of her new organisation to prepare for the panchayat polls slated for May 31. Presiding over a steering committee meeting of her party here yesterday, Mamata told party leaders to clear the decks for an early homework on the basis of candidates' "winnability, chances of success and local popularity." Party leaders should notimpose their decision on the block and district level leadership, she cautioned the members.
She also played down "which party gets the largest share of seats factor,"and stressed the need for the BBF to evolve a strategy to fight the Left Front. State BJP leaders, who responded quickly to Mamata's overtures, told The Indian Express that "we support her desire for an early decision on the issue."
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
