Congress rules out alliance with Trinamool Congress in WB

The Congress on Monday said it would not repeat the "mistake" of entering into alliance with the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, even though the recent by-poll results had prompted some to suggest revival of ties.

"Many people are saying the by-poll results have shown that there is a need for Congress-TMC alliance in the state. We are not ready to repeat the mistake of allying with them. Mistakes should not be repeated," state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya said.

All three seats, Rejinagar, English Bazar and Nalhati, were bagged by the Congress in the 2011 Assembly election when there was an alliance between the party and the TMC.

However, the by-poll results came as a shocker for the Congress as it managed to retain the Rejinagar seat in Malda district only and lost English Bazar in Murshidabad district and Nalhati in Birbhum district.

Pollsters said the Left won the Nalhati seat due to division of votes between the Congress and TMC.

"Earlier, during triangular contests between Congress, Trinamool and Left, votes used to get polarised between Trinamool and Left and the Congress most of the time lost its deposits. But now in triangular elections all parties are getting votes," Bhattacharya said.

Arguing that the people of the state had accepted the triangular contests, Bhattacharya said TMC was ruling the state based on a percentage of votes it received during the Congress-TMC alliance in the 2011 polls.

On the upcoming Panchayat elections, he demanded that it be held under the supervision of central forces.

"We demand that panchayat polls be held under the supervision of central police forces, for the sake of free and fair polls. Earlier during Trinamool's stint in opposition they had time and again demanded central forces, so why are they averse to it now?" Bhattacharya asked.

He also demanded that the Panchayat polls be held in three to four phases.