West Bengal elections: CPI(M) MA Baby calls for ‘secular alliance’ with Congress

M.A. Baby, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said on Friday (February 13) that when Congress “realises” the importance of holding hands with secular, democratic, and progressive forces, they cooperate with them.

He added that this was not possible in West Bengal due to the “sectarian approach” Congress was allegedly adopting here. 

“In the fight against communal forces, especially the BJP, we want to develop political arrangements wherever possible with all forces, including Congress, in the fight against the fascistic RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and their political party BJP,” Mr. Baby said from the CPI(M) state headquarters in Kolkata on Friday (February 13, 2026). He also added that they are in cooperation with the Congress in Bihar and Tamil Nadu. 

This comes days after West Bengal Congress formally announced that they are going solo in the upcoming Assembly elections. Congress had been in a seat-sharing arrangement with the Left Front, including CPI (M), in the last State Assembly elections. 

“Politically we want to isolate, expose, and defeat the BJP, which is controlled by the fascistic RSS,” Mr. Baby said. He added that in Bengal it is also their goal to defeat Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress government, which he alleged is an “anti-people government”. 

Mr Baby also shared hope that the CPI(M) government will see a resurgence in West Bengal in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. 

On February 5, Congress announced that it will contest independently in all the 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal, ending speculation of any electoral understanding with the Left Front in the polls due in the next few months. 

Meanwhile, CPI(M) is looking to find new alliance partners and recently held talks with Humayun Kabir, who has recently set up Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) and is also likely to get into talks with the Indian Secular Front of Naswad Siddique.