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CPM: Alliance with Mamata Banerjee impossible

‘We have never allied with the BJP. But Mamata is a political opportunist and will ally with anyone and everyone to get ahead’ Mohammad Salim CPM leader

The CPM Wednesday struck out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of having a “passive understanding” with BJP and not taking action against black money in the state, even as she takes the lead in opposing the Centre on demonetisation.

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Left leader Sujan Chakraborty hit out against Mamata, saying: “Why doesn’t Mamata Banerjee take action against those accused in Sharadha and Narada scams? Why doesn’t Narendra Modi take action against chit funds in the state, if he is taking such stringent action to stop black money? There is a passive understanding between Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee. At the end of this all, Mamata could find no one and joined hands with Shiv Sena.”

The TMC supremo was among the first to take a stand against the Modi government’s demonetisation policy declaring Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations as illegal tender. Since then, Mamata has been reaching out to leaders – including the Left – to join hands against the Modi government. This, for the Left, is an impossible choice.

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After Mamata called CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, asking him to join hands against the demonetisation move, Yechury is believed to have responded by saying he would consult with state Left leaders. But as CPM leader Mohd Salim put it, such a move would be “impossible”.

“This is a desperate call, and an attempt to save her own party leaders who are allegedly involved in Saradha and Narada scams. What is the credibility of the Trinamool Congress (TMC)? How can they talk about fighting against black money when her (Mamata’s) own party leaders are involved in the Saradha scam and have been arrested?” he said.

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Salim, like Chakraborty, had alleged that there is a “political understanding” between the TMC and BJP. As one Left leader put it: “We have always been ideologically consistent. We have never allied with the BJP. But Mamata is a political opportunist and will ally with anyone and everyone to get ahead. There has always been a tacit understanding with the BJP.”

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However, a section of Left leaders have expressed worry over Mamata’s growing Opposition to the demonetisation move.

“She has put us in a tight spot. We can’t join hands with her, that would destroy us in Bengal. Nor can we oppose her. In fact, ideologically the issues that she is championing are issues that our party should have been taking up from day one,” said a senior party leader who didn’t wish to be named.

First uploaded on: 17-11-2016 at 04:26 IST
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