LS polls: Yechury rules out nationwide tie-up between CPI(M), Congress
Any talks of a CPI(M)-Congress adjustment for the parliamentary election have to be "initiated at the state level" as the political situation is different in various states, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said, virtually ruling out a nationwide tie-up between the parties. Yechury's remarks comes when a section of West Bengal CPI(M) leadership has expressed interest on an electoral understanding with Congress.
'Any talk with Congress has to be initiated at state-level'
The alliance would be formed to defeat TMC and the BJP in West Bengal. "We had said the political situation is different in various states. So any sort of talks with the Congress has to be initiated at the state level," he said, on the sidelines of a condolence meeting for former West Bengal industry minister and politburo member Nirupam Sen in Kolkata yesterday.
Yechury calls SP-BSP alliance a 'positive' development
He was replying to question on why the CPI(M) was not initiating talks with the Congress at the national level to put up an anti-BJP front. Yechury said the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party in UP was a "positive" development.
Majority of WB Congress leaders in favour of seat-sharing arrangement
On the alliance, Yechury added that a "lot more is yet to happen," and that he's looking forward to an anti-BJP secular and democratic front at the Center in 2019 in a "post-poll scenario". Majority of the state Congress leaders are in favour of an informal seat-sharing arrangements with CPI(M) in West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, senior state Congress leaders said.
However, Congress unit maintained final-call will be taken by Rahul
Some of the top state Congress leaders have already begun "informal talks" with some CPI(M) leaders over the seat adjustment issue. However, WB Congress unit maintained that the final call on the decision of state-specific adjustments with the CPI(M) will be taken by Rahul Gandhi.