Indian Secular Front (ISF), a relatively new political outfit in West Bengal, is open to alliance with like-minded parties for fighting future elections, its leader and lone MLA Nawsad Siddique said.

He said though the ISF is not in alliance with any party after the 2021 assembly elections, which it fought in pact with the CPI(M) and Congress, tie-ups are taking place at the grassroots level for the July 8 panchayat elections.

Siddique said to win future elections, the ISF will team up with parties who think about people and country.

"In the coming days, we will go with like-minded parties to fight elections," he told PTI in an interview.

Lok Sabha elections are slated to be held in 2024.

ISF has put up candidates mainly in South and North 24 Parganas, Howrah and Murshidabad districts for the rural polls.

"At the grassroots level, alliances have happened in pockets to defeat the ruling party," he said.

Popular among his supporters as 'Bhaijan', Siddique won from Bhangar assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas to be the only opposition party to win other than the BJP in the 2021 assembly polls which was handsomely won by the Trinamool Congress.

Nawsad, a descendant of Muhammad Abu Bakr Siddique, the first Pir of Furfura Sharif, claimed that he has never asked for votes in the name of religion.

"I will never ask for votes saying I am the Pirzada of Furfura Sharif and have never done so, because it is wrong to ask for votes in the name of religion and those who cast their franchise in favour of such people become the most deprived," he said.

Claiming that the BJP and TMC ask for votes in the name of religion, Siddique said the real issues affecting people are joblessness, high prices of essentials and industrialisation.

He claimed that the condition of Hindus have remained the same after the 2014 general elections and that the situation of Muslims have not improved following the 2011 state polls.

He alleged that the percentage of Muslims in government jobs in Bengal has deteriorated.

"After Tata (Motors) was forced out (from Singur), not a single big company has come to set up units in Bengal," he said.

He said his party stands for providing relief to the people.

Maintaining that corruption is a big issue for the ensuing three-tier rural polls, the ISF MLA said it has invaded various spheres from jobs for money scam to bribe for getting caste certificates or free housing schemes.

He claimed that if elections are free and fair, then the issue of corruption will have a significant impact on the electoral choice of voters.

Maintaining that central forces for the panchayat polls will give some confidence among the electors, he said it will all depend on the State Election Commission.

"If the commission wants, the forces will be deployed at appropriate locations," he said.

By Amitava Roy and Jayanta Roy Chowdhury

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