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State Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar keeps options open on possible understanding with Mamata-AITC.
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Opposition parties seek postponement of municipal polls until electoral roll revision and pending appeals are resolved.
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Saugata Roy calls for Opposition unity against BJP ahead of upcoming political events.
The possibility of an alliance between the Congress and Mamata Banerjee’s All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) for the upcoming municipal elections in Kolkata, Howrah and other parts of West Bengal has sparked fresh discussion in political circles. Although no formal decision has been announced, the Congress has indicated that it is keeping its options open as Opposition parties look for ways to unite against the BJP.
The question gained attention after Congress state president Subhankar Sarkar suggested that the party was willing to explore different possibilities. His remarks came amid a joint demand by Opposition parties and civil rights groups to postpone the municipal elections until the process of restoring the names of eligible voters removed during the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is complete.
“There was an unexpected alliance with Mamata-AITC in Nandigram and we have seen the results. Though it is not confirmed, the party is exploring all possibilities and keeping the options open,” Sarkar said.
His statement has fuelled speculation over whether the Congress and AITC could set aside their political differences to challenge the BJP.
On Monday, 26 October, Opposition leaders and civil society representatives submitted a letter to West Bengal state election commissioner Krishna Gupta, demanding that elections to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Howrah Municipal Corporation and other municipal bodies be held only after the ongoing electoral roll revision process is complete.
The letter was jointly signed by Sarkar, Mamata-AITC leader and Dum Dum MP Saugata Roy, former Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar, a member of the CPI(M) state secretariat, and representatives of other Opposition parties and civil society organisations.
The signatories argued that holding municipal elections before the process is completed could prevent thousands of eligible voters from exercising their democratic rights.
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