Somen Mitra Telegraph picture

The Congress and the Left Front on Wednesday formally announced their decision to contest the ensuing Assembly bypolls together.

The byelections will be held in Kaliaganj (North Dinajpur), Karimpur (Nadia) and Kharagpur Sadar (West Midnapore) on November 25.

“Finally, the seat-sharing with the Left Front in the ensuing Assembly bypolls is official after today’s meeting,” Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra said at a press meet.

While the Congress has been allotted Kaliaganj and Kharagpur Sadar, the CPM will contest from Karimpur.

Both the Congress and the CPM will announce the names of their candidates on Thursday.

The decision of seat-sharing was announced at the news conference addressed jointly by Mitra and Left Front chairman Biman Bose.

“It has been decided that a district-level coordination

committee will be formed between the Left Front and the Congress to manage the joint election campaigns in the three districts,” Bose said after holding a meeting with state Congress leaders led by Mitra.

According to Mitra, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had given the green light for the electoral truck with the Left Front. “This is only the beginning and our relations would continue beyond the bypolls,” he said adding that the two parties would campaign together.