United in Parliament, INDIA bloc fighting bypoll separately

Shubhadeep Choudhury

New Delhi, June 15

The byelections to four Assembly constituencies in West Bengal on July 10 have once against exposed the weakness of the INDIA bloc as constituents of the opposition alliance are all set to contest the elections separately rather than as one unit by joining hands against the BJP.

‘Working in tandem’

Gaurav Gogoi, Lok Sabha member from Assam, who was Deputy Leader of the Congress in the last Lok Sabha, said all decisions pertaining to issues to be taken up in Parliament would be decided jointly by INDIA bloc constituents.

While the INDIA bloc was cobbled up by the parties primarily for the Lok Sabha elections, leaders of the coalition admit that it would send a good message if the constituents could work out seat-sharing arrangements for the Assembly elections as well.

The bypolls to 13 Assembly constituencies across seven states are slated to take place on July 10. West Bengal will see maximum number of seats — four — going to the polls.

The INDIA bloc failed to put up a united show in West Bengal during the Lok Sabha poll with Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) fighting the elections its own while the Communist Party of India-Marxist and Congress succeeding in striking an alliance to contest jointly.

For the coming bypolls too, the Trinamool has already announced its candidates. The CPM-Congress alliance will again fight jointly. It has been decided that CPM will contest on two seats (Maniktala and the reserved Ranaghat-Dakhshin seat), the Forward Bloc one seat (Bagda, reserved for SC) and the Congress one constituency (Raiganj).

The TMC and CPM and Forward Bloc have already announced the names of their candidates while the Congress is expected to do so in a day or two.

The bypolls will be preceded by the Parliament session to elect the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

Shortly after the bypolls, Parliament will again meet for the monsoon session when the Union Budget will be presented.

Gaurav Gogoi, Lok Sabha member from Assam, who was Deputy Leader of the Congress in the last Lok Sabha, said all decisions pertaining to issues to be taken up in Parliament would be decided jointly by INDIA bloc constituents. Asked whether the Trinamool Congress, which has played truant in the past, will play ball this time, Gogoi said, “Why assume negative. Let’s start with a positive frame of mind.”