Indian Secular Front chief and Furfura Sharif cleric Abbas Siddiqui on Friday said his party would field candidates in 30 Assembly constituencies in alliance with the Left Front, while seat-sharing talks with the Congress were still on.
“We had demanded 70-80 seats. The Left has given us 30 seats. We are trying to get four or five additional seats. The problem with the Congress will be resolved if they give us around 25 seats,” Siddiqui said and added that the ISF had written to Congress multiple times, the latest being on Thursday.
Reacting to Siddiqui’s claim, CPM politburo member Mohd Salim said: “He has quoted a number, but we haven’t because it is a multiple-side approach. We are talking to several other parties and organisations. What they have said is right. We have confirmed a few seats and the rest are in course of discussion. The ISF has been asked to speak to the Congress.”
Sources in the ISF said while Left parties, especially the CPM, had been exceedingly flexible in leaving seats for the party, the state Congress under its chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was unwilling to meet Siddiqui’s demands.
“The ISF has claimed important seats in Malda, Murshidabad, South Dinajpur and Birbhum. The Congress is strong in these districts and hence, the party is unwilling to give the seats away to the ISF,” a Congress leader said.
However, Siddiqui hoped the Congress would finally accept the demands of the party to build a strong alliance.
Siddiqui also said three ISF representatives would be present at the rally called by the Left and the Congress at the Brigade Parade grounds in Calcutta on February 28.
“We had wanted to hold a meeting at Brigade for a long time. But then we are going (to fight polls) together with Left parties and even they want us to be together to create a grand alliance and tsunami of people. This made me think and my party’s leaders said it would be good for all of us to come together on one platform.”
“This is why I thought it is important for us to go (to Brigade) on the 28th. Hence, I invite all supporters of the ISF to come to Brigade,” he added.
Siddiqui, however, didn’t clarify whether he would be present at the rally. He said it was being discussed if he should speak at the rally on behalf of the ISF.
“Every party will be represented by three leaders and one speaker. People want me to speak, but it will be decided by our party,” Siddiqui said.