Desperate Left woos Congress
During the Left’s 34-year-rule in Bengal, the Congress was one of the chief Opposition parties. The Left was lambasted by the Opposition for its anti-people economic policies. Following the debacles in parliamentary election in 2009 and assembly polls in 2011, the Left Front as well as the CPI(M) have been losing their relevance. They have become marginalized in both national and state politics. This has compelled the Left to consider the prospects of entering into an alliance with the Congress. One would have to wait till the elections to find if such an alliance—provided it materializes–can help the Left regain its lost political ground and its credibility.