Kolkata: A day after CPM fuelled alliance speculation by holding a meeting with Humayun Kabir's Janata Unnayan Party, comments by party state secretary Md Salim on the state Congress's perceived proximity to Trinamool have further exposed apparent fault lines in CPM–Congress seat-sharing talks ahead of the 2026 polls.
Salim, who has previously brokered seat-sharing arrangements with Congress, said, "When Adhir Chowdhury was the president of state Congress, there was an alliance with Left Front. The present state president of the party, Subhankar babu, seems to have a weakness towards Trinamool."
"Talks with Congress over seat sharing are yet to begin, and Salim's statement reflects a sense of hurry in the Left Front. How did he sense a weakness in Congress when his party is showing desperation by scouting for alliance partners?" a state Congress neta said.
Even as formal dialogue between the two sides is yet to start, state Congress president Subhakar Sarkar has stressed "strengthening the party" in Bengal. During interactions with the party high command in New Delhi, Sarkar conveyed that he was unwilling to enter into any alliance or seat-sharing arrangement at the cost of seats where Congress has stronger prospects.
"If we consider the Lok Sabha 2024 results, Congress led in 13 seats, mostly in Malda and Murshidabad. It progressed in terms of vote tally despite inconsistencies over the alliance. It is apparent that there can only be seat sharing between the two parties in such a short span, and not an alliance. However, any hurry over seat sharing may actually be damaging for both," a state Congress neta said.