Date:31/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/31/stories/2007053114230900.htm

National

`Congress joined hands with BJP, Trinamool'

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat on Wednesday said the Congress had joined hands with the BJP and the Trinamool Congress in the election to the Panskura Municipality West Bengal, whose results were declared on Wednesday. "We have lost [Pansukra] but the Congress leadership in Delhi should know that its State leaders joined hands with the BJP and TMC and put up joint candidates against our party," Mr. Karat said at a press conference.

He said while people of West Bengal were aware of the mahajot (grand coalition) for the three-tier local bodies elections from panchayats to gram sabhas, the party had done well in Purbo-Medinipur, including Nandigram, as compared to the last time.

As for Howrah district, where Singur is located, he said the party had not lost a single seat.

Asked to respond to the charge, Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said she was not aware of what Mr. Karat said, but emphasised that the party never joined hands with communal forces anywhere.