CPM in hill tie-up talks

TT, Siliguri: The CPM has started talks with some political forces in the hills to field a single candidate against the BJP and Trinamul in Darjeeling Parliament constituency. CPM leaders Asok Bhattacharya and Jibesh Sarkar said they had started the talks as per a decision of the party's central committee three months back.

"It was decided at the meeting of our party's central committee that we would approach all regional political forces which are against the BJP and Trinamul so that a common candidate could be selected for the Darjeeling Parliament seat. This will help us defeat both Trinamul and the BJP in the seat. As per the decision, we have started talks with such parties in the hills," Bhattacharya, who is also the CPM MLA of Siliguri, said on Friday.

The CPM's talks with parties reaffirmed that its support base in the hills had dwindled, opined observers. The CPM is no longer considered a formidable political force in the hills, as is obvious from the results of elections since 2009..