By Zaidul Haque, Twocircles.net,
Kolkata: Shattered with the rout in the Bihar Assembly elections, Congress will not go alone in the West Bengal Assembly poll due in May 2011, and so the state Congress, with instructions from the party high command, has begun talks with regional secular groups including Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind led People’s Democratic Conference of India (PDCI).
West Bengal Congress president Dr. Manas Bhuiya held such alliance meeting with PDCI head and state Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind president Maulana Siddiqullah Chowdhury and Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) leader Mr Samir Putatundu here on Friday evening (Nov 26).
Emerging from the meeting at the state Congress head office Bidhan Bhawan in Kolkata, Dr Bhuiya announced formation of United Secular Democratic Front (USDF), a coalition of Congress and regional secular players.
L-R: Maulana Badruddin Ajmal and Maulana Siddiqullah Chowdhury
WBPCC president Dr Bhuiya told reporters that Congress will fight the coming assembly election in alliance with Siddiqullah’s PDCI and PDS. Mr Bhuiya thinks, to defeat the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in West Bengal, all regional parties as well as secular & democratic groups should be united. He agreed he is following the Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee’s model in the past parliament election wherein TMC tied up with a communist party SUCI and they succeed. Dr Bhuiya hoped he will also be successful but he did not disclose anything about seat distribution.
Already Congress high command has announced Congress and TMC will fight together in the coming Assembly election against the ruling Left Front led by CPIM to remove them from power and to end 34 years of the rule. WBPCC president Manas Bhuiya said, state Congress has been holding dialogue with small parties as per directed by the party high command. Bhuiya also said that distribution of tickets will be finalized after Congress-TMC tie up takes final form.
Giving details of the meeting, Maulana Siddiqulla Chowdhury told TCN: “We were three persons, WBPCC chief Dr Manas Bhuiya, PDS leader Mr Samir Putatunda and myself on behalf of PDCI. We sat together for new coalition USDF. He informed that next meeting will be held on 3rd January 2011. Then all coalition matters will be discussed. He claimed that the meeting was fully successful.
Last week along with Mr Bhuiya Maulana Siddiqullah met Mr Pranab Mukherjee at his Kolkata residence. Sources said, Mr Mukherjee assured him Congress willing to get an election partner in the forthcoming Assembly election. He also said he will be happy if ex-Congress state committee member Siddiqullah joins with Congress to strengthen their hand. State Congress president Mr Bhuiya had met Congress high command earlier last week and after return to the city he organized the Friday meeting.
He expressed that, Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind has been a secular party since before the independence. This party has lots of supporters in West Bengal. So, Congress wants to organize them in cooperation with Maulana Siddiqullah Chowdhury because Chowdhury has strong hold among the Muslims of West Bengal. After 3rd January a clear picture of the coalition will come out. After Independence this is the first time when Congress will fight the election on a common platform besides the Congress brand name. The Congress has welcomed all the secular and democratic parties of West Bengal join the `USDP’.
On the other hand, in the beginning of this month TMC supremo MAmata Banerjee welcomed All India United Democratic Front of Assam MP Maulana Badruddin Ajmal in West Bengal to join with TMC to fight against CPIM. Maulana Ajmal expressed his view that he wants a platform like AUDF of Assam in West Bengal and he is willing to support TMC. Mamata is tactically trying to capture nearby 30% Muslim votes in favour of TMC through involvement of AIAUDF chief Ajmal. Actually she is avoiding talks with Mr Siddiqullah Chowdhury to control Jamiat Ulama members. Mamata thinks, if Ajmal tied with her then Siddiqullah may be in his control. Because in the last Lok Sabha election Siddiqullah’s candidates had come under the banner of AIAUDF holding Key & Lock symbol. She also thinks that Ajmal helps Siddiqullah financially also.
West Bengal Congress president Dr. Manas Bhuiya
This development has raised question about the unity in Jamiat Ulama. Are Siddiqullah and Ajmal not in the same platform though both are working committee members of Jamiat Ulama? When Siddiqullah is cosying up with Congress and Ajmal with TMC in West Bengal, then is there any misunderstanding between Siddiqullah and Ajmal?
When TCN asked Maulana Siddiqullah about it, he denied it and said, he respects him (Ajmal). Maulana Ajmal advised him that to fight against CPIM there should be unity among all regional parties, Siddiqullah added and claimed in coalition with either Congress or TMC his support will be vital. There are some constituencies where PDCI as well as Jamiat supporters may play key role.
Siddiqullah also said, he will soon meet with Maulana Ajmal to discuss the coalition, but did not mention the date and time.
Siddiqullah also hoped, Mamata will be happy if they organized and united small parties and give her support. He also said if Mamata calls him, he will be ready to talk to coalition partners along with Congress and PDS.