Kolkata, June 5 (IANS) Backed by its resounding victory in the West Bengal civic polls, the ruling Trinamool Congress Tuesday bragged about its ability to go it alone in future elections, prompting ally Congress to hit back saying it had no compulsion to continue the alliance.
In a strong message to the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, which bagged four of the six civic bodies, said the victory was a strong indicator of its might in the state.
"The result is a strong indicator of the might of the party and proves that the Trinamool Congress can stand firm on its own feet in West Bengal. It has now been established that the Trinamool Congress can fight and win elections on its own," party general secretary and Railway Minister Mukul Roy told media here.
Congress Lok Sabha member Deepa Dasmunsi was quick to counter.
"If they want, they can go it alone...there are no compulsions. Moreover, we won't have to take responsibility any more for their (Trinamool) wrong decisions. It would really be a relief for us," Dasmunsi said.
Another Congress MP, Adhir Chowdhury claimed his party too had the strength to fight subsequent polls separately. "The Cooper's Camp Municipality (Nadia district) victory shows we too can win on our own. The result could have been better had we known their (Trinamool) decision to go alone earlier."
The Trinamool snatched Dhupguri municipality in Jalpaiguri district and Burdwan district's Durgapur Municipal Corporation from the Left Front, triumphed in the Nalhati municipality in Birbhum district, and retained the Panskura municipality in East Midnapore district. The elections were held on Sunday.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front continued to hold sway over East Midnapore district's Haldia municipality, while the Congress retained Cooper's Camp.
The Trinamool and the Congress, allies in the central and state governments, fought separately in the civic polls for the first time after the assembly elections last year.
"The fight in the polls was not only against the Left (Front) but also against the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Maoists. The victory has vindicated our stand to go it alone," Roy said.
Describing the CPI-M as an "endangered species", Roy said the alliance was hurtling towards "extinction".
"We snatched three civic bodies from others. The LF barely managed to retain Haldia. Even there, we have consolidated our position since the last polls (2007)."
"Bagging 72 of the 129 seats establishes the fact that we fight and win on our own," added Roy.
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