KOLKATA: Cracks have appeared within the West Bengal CPM after state secretary Md Salim met Humayun Kabir, chairman of the Janata Unnyan Party and former Trinamool Congress MLA from Bharatpur, at a hotel in New Town, triggering speculation of an electoral understanding.
Salim held a meeting with Kabir, who courted controversy over the foundation laying of a Babri Masjid-style mosque at Beldanga in Murshidabad district. Salim said any seat-sharing proposal would be discussed within the CPM-led Left Front.
The meeting, allegedly held without informing Alimuddin Street, has stirred controversy as the Election Commission is expected to announce poll dates by mid-March. CPM insiders said the party faced its first major controversy since the “historic blunder” of denying Jyoti Basu approval to become Prime Minister in 1996.
A section of the state leadership questioned why Salim met Kabir instead of deputing senior leaders. A CPM insider said Salim should have raised the issue at the weekly state secretariat meeting, adding that nothing related to Kabir was discussed despite the meeting being held the same day. “The meeting with Kabir may damage the CPM’s secular image in the elections and prompt the BJP to make it an issue.”
Sources close to Salim said the meeting was exploratory and no decision was taken. After the meeting, Kabir said, “I discussed several issues. I proposed an electoral alliance with the CPM. Nothing is materialised. I urged Salim saheb to finalise the alliance process by February 15.”
Salim said, “I wanted to know from him what he wants to do. We will discuss the proposal in the Left Front and thereafter with Leftist parties outside the Front, then with the ISF.” The CPM-led Left Front contested the 2021 Assembly elections with the Indian Secular Front but failed to open its account, while ISF’s Naushad Siddiqui became the lone opposition MLA outside the BJP.
Move raises eyebrows
A section of the state leadership of CPM asked why Salim met Kabir instead of deputing senior leaders. A CPM insider also said that Salim should have raised the issue at the weekly state secretariat meeting itself instead