Thaindian News

Kolkata, May 14 (IANS) Taking potshots at the Congress with whom her party failed to strike up an alliance for West Bengal civic polls, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Friday said the Congress will join the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) after its defeat in the polls.
“Only Trinamool Congress is fighting against the atrocities of the CPI-M. And those who are trying to demonstrate that they (Congress) are also fighting against the CPI-M, will jump into the CPI-M’s boat after their defeat in the civic polls,” Banerjee said while addressing a public meeting in Kolkata.

Asking the people not to waste their vote, she said: “If you want a change, then please vote for Trinamool. Those who are trying to demonstrate that they are fighting the CPI-M other than Trinamool can never win.”

Without naming the Congress, Banerjee said there will be no friendly fight with others.

“In this political fight either you win or you die. Either victory or death is the only option that is available in the fight. There will be no friendly fights,” said Banerjee.

Trinamool Congress is the second largest constituent of the Congress-led Untied Progressive Alliance (UPA) central government.

The Trinamool-Congress-Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) combine bagged 26 Lok Sabha seats in 2009 general elections, reducing the Left Front to 15, out of the 42 seats in the state.

But the alliance between the two opposition parties came unstuck for the May 30 polls for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and 81 municipalities as they failed to come to a seat sharing arrangement.

The civic polls are politically crucial as they are considered the semi-finals before next year’s state assembly elections.