The Hindu : National : CPI(M), Trinamool in slanging match

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Saturday, Mar 19, 2005

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National

CPI(M), Trinamool in slanging match

By Malabika Bhattacharya

KOLKATA, MARCH 18. With the crucial mayoral election in Kolkata three months away, a war of words has broken out among the mainline political parties and some of their stalwarts.

The verbal assault of the incumbent mayor, Subrata Mukherjee, on Bikash Bhattacharya, a former Advocate-General of Tripura, who has just been announced as the ruling Left Front's candidate for the election, has surprised many. After announcing Mr. Bhattacharya's candidature, Anil Biswas, the State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said on March 14 that the Front decided on making an early announcement to "put an end to rumour mongering and spreading of canards against the CPI(M)." "Bikash has just been given the admit card to enter the examination hall, but that does not necessarily mean he would write a good paper," said Mr. Mukherjee. "It is a pity that the CPI (M) did not find a true-blue Kolkatan to run for Kolkata mayor. They had to import a novice all the way from Tripura. Are they going to find themselves such talents from Kerala for fielding as candidates in the 2006 Assembly election?"

Mr. Bhattacharya, who was born and brought up in Kolkata, is a seasoned lawyer. He is no stranger to politics too: he was initiated into Left politics as a student in Kolkata and occupied important positions in the Democratic Youth Federation of India shortly after Mr. Mukherjee came into prominence through the same student politics route in the Congress. Mr. Bhattacharya had been a political prisoner in 1968 and 1975, the last one shortly after the imposition of the Emergency. In the past 27 years, he has played a behind-the-scenes role, and was known only to a handful.

Discouraging competition

"I am not very sure why the incumbent Mayor is trying to play down my political identity. It is surprising because many in the Mayor's own party, the Trinamool Congress, are aware of my commitment to politics as well as law," Mr. Bhattacharya said. It is well known that the CPI (M) has fielded Mr. Bhattacharya to put an end to intra-party jockeying for nomination, to discourage competition among its functionaries and to expose the Opposition Trinamool as well as the Congress. Though the Congress supports Mr. Mukherjee's council, the mayoral election is different. It is not keen on an alliance with the Trinamool Congress before the June election. In an interview with The Hindu , State Congress leaders Somen Mitra and Pradip Bhattacharya said their party will not enter the arena with a pre-determined nominee for the mayor's office. Trinamool officials said their party would be able to retain the civic body on the strength of Mr. Mukherjee's substantial performance. The BJP, which runs the civic body in alliance with the Trinamool, is waiting for Mamata Banerjee to take a position on the civic election and alliance with the Congress or the BJP.

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