After LS debacle, Cong, CPI(M) share seats for Bengal bypolls

The Congress and the CPI(M) have sealed a seat adjustment for the upcoming bypolls in three Assembly segments in West Bengal to stop the march of the BJP and the Trinamool Congress in the state.

The state leadership of the two parties decided in a meeting late on Friday that while the Congress will contest North Dinajpur district's Kaliaganj seat and West Midnapore district's Kharagpur seat, the CPI(M)-led Left Front will fight Nadia district's Karimpur seat.

"The Congress will contest two seats and the CPI(M) will fight on one. Our alliance will bring a new dawn in Bengal politics. Together, we will defeat the communal politics of BJP and TMC," West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra said.

The CPI(M) leadership, however, termed it only as a "seat adjustment" but was hopeful of halting the BJP's march in the state.

The Kaliaganj seat fell vacant after the death of sitting Congress MLA Parmathanath Roy while Kharagpur's BJP MLA Dilip Ghosh won the Medinipur Lok Sabha .