Bihar election result shuts up demanding Congress in West Bengal

Trinamool asked alliance partner Congress on Wednesday to learn a lesson from Bihar.

“In some states, Congress has enough strength to contest [polls] independently. But in states such as West Bengal, it is virtually nonexistent without the backing of regional allies [such as Trinamool]. Congress failed to realise this in Bihar. We at Trinamool believe Congress will not repeat the Bihar mistake in West Bengal and contest the 2011 assembly election independently,” a party spokesman said on Wednesday.

Ridiculing the constant emphasis of Congress leaders on a “respectable alliance,” the spokesman said, “Congress’ strength is restricted to a handful of pockets in north Bengal. Elsewhere in the state, it is Trinamool and Trinamool alone. Congress should realise that the strong anti-CPM wave in West Bengal is only for Trinamool. It is better that way. If they do not realise this and decide to contest independently, it will be a washout for them in West Bengal, like Bihar.”

Meanwhile, the Bihar experience appears to have mellowed down Congress leaders demanding a “respectable alliance”. As it became clear that the JD(U)-BJP combine was heading for a landslide, even the most vocal Congressmen in Kolkata went into a shell.

Political observers said the Bihar result would give Trinamool an upper hand in seat-sharing with Congress. “State Congress, which has been vocal against Trinamool highhandedness, will no more get the sympathy of the party high command. In a way, the disaster in Bihar dashes the hope of some CPM leaders that the Congress-Trinamool alliance in West Bengal would break before the assembly elections next year,” an observer said.