Date:09/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/09/stories/2006090904651200.htm

National

`Congress-Trinamool tie-up not to affect Left'

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: The unofficial electoral understanding arrived at between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress for the coming by-elections in West Bengal will not affect the prospects of the Left Front, said veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basuhere on Friday.

Describing the understanding between the two parties as one without any "political principle", Mr. Basu said that a similar move to forge an alliance against the Left Front in the 2001 Assembly elections in the State had proved unsuccessful. "We appeal to the people to defeat their designs [yet] again," he said.

Biman Bose, Chairman of the Left Front Committee said earlier this week that despite moves towards a covert "mahajot" (grand alliance) of all anti-Left parties, the Left Front would come up trumps in the coming by-polls.