12-25-2007, 12:25 PM
From the Asian Age of today...this could have far reaching implications for th 2009 elections...
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Jamiat set for Mamata pact
By Parwez Hafeez</b>
Kolkata, Dec. 24: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Siddiqullah Chowdhury has agreed to join hands with Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to take on the CPI(M), which he described as the "common enemy".
Mr Chowdhury, who has floated a secular alliance of nine parties called the West Bengal Democratic Front, said he would discuss the details of a possible seat-sharing deal with Ms Banerjee for the coming panchayat polls after she formally announces her proposed Secular Democratic Front on December 30.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind is a powerful constituent of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee in Nandigram which gave the local CPI(M) a run for its money and forced West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to abandon his plans to set up a chemical hub there. Mr Chowdhury has a considerable following in several districts of south and north Bengal. "If we want to get rid of the oppressive CPI(M) rule in the state, we will have to first end its hegemony at the grassroots level in rural Bengal. The coming panchayat polls have, therefore, become very crucial," Mr Chowdhury claimed.
Echoing the Trinamul Congress chairpersonâs view, he argued that if all anti-CPI(M) forces joined hands it would not be difficult to defeat the CPI(M). "The CPI(M) has been ruling for 30 year by dividing the anti-Left vote. To dislodge the CPI(M) from power, we are ready to join hands with any party other than the BJP," Mr Chowdhury added.
Earlier he was reluctant to enter into an understanding with the Trinamul Congress but after Ms Banerjee made it clear that the BJP would not be a part of her proposed front, the Jamiat chief has no reservations. "For the greater cause of the state I will not even mind if Ms Banerjee wants to head both her own proposed front and our West Bengal Democratic Front," he added.
Ms Banerjee is also keen to rope in Mr Chowdhury in the new anti-Left front. "With the help of the Jamiat Ulema, if we cash in on the growing Muslim anger against the CPI(M), we can spring a surprise in the panchayat polls. After all, Muslims constitute 27 per cent of the total population and a large section has traditionally voted for the CPI(M)," a Trinamul Congress general secretary said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Jamiat set for Mamata pact
By Parwez Hafeez</b>
Kolkata, Dec. 24: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Siddiqullah Chowdhury has agreed to join hands with Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to take on the CPI(M), which he described as the "common enemy".
Mr Chowdhury, who has floated a secular alliance of nine parties called the West Bengal Democratic Front, said he would discuss the details of a possible seat-sharing deal with Ms Banerjee for the coming panchayat polls after she formally announces her proposed Secular Democratic Front on December 30.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind is a powerful constituent of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee in Nandigram which gave the local CPI(M) a run for its money and forced West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to abandon his plans to set up a chemical hub there. Mr Chowdhury has a considerable following in several districts of south and north Bengal. "If we want to get rid of the oppressive CPI(M) rule in the state, we will have to first end its hegemony at the grassroots level in rural Bengal. The coming panchayat polls have, therefore, become very crucial," Mr Chowdhury claimed.
Echoing the Trinamul Congress chairpersonâs view, he argued that if all anti-CPI(M) forces joined hands it would not be difficult to defeat the CPI(M). "The CPI(M) has been ruling for 30 year by dividing the anti-Left vote. To dislodge the CPI(M) from power, we are ready to join hands with any party other than the BJP," Mr Chowdhury added.
Earlier he was reluctant to enter into an understanding with the Trinamul Congress but after Ms Banerjee made it clear that the BJP would not be a part of her proposed front, the Jamiat chief has no reservations. "For the greater cause of the state I will not even mind if Ms Banerjee wants to head both her own proposed front and our West Bengal Democratic Front," he added.
Ms Banerjee is also keen to rope in Mr Chowdhury in the new anti-Left front. "With the help of the Jamiat Ulema, if we cash in on the growing Muslim anger against the CPI(M), we can spring a surprise in the panchayat polls. After all, Muslims constitute 27 per cent of the total population and a large section has traditionally voted for the CPI(M)," a Trinamul Congress general secretary said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->