AGARTALA / KOLKATA, Feb 14 (TIWN): CPI-M stalwarts Karat, Yechury and their obedient student Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar certainly care less for Karl Marx or communism when it comes to enriching party funds by aligning with other capitalist backed parties like Congress. CPI-M and Congress are well aware of the fact that its impossible to defeat Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress in upcoming assembly election. Then the question arises why this sudden tie-up and how its beneficial to Congress at all ? As per leading political analysts, Congress, CPI-M pre-poll alliance will not help either party politically but will enable CPI-M to start cash collection from businesses, industrialists who traditionally back congress and bear most of the election expenditures. Sonia Gandhi blessed Yechury needs alliance with Congress to boost party's cash reserves as tiny Tripura unable to bear communist party's expenditures nationally. Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee attacked CPI-M's deficit of values, ideals and said "Those who change their ideals,.. the CPI-M, Congress alliance is a big mistake". Highlighting the importance of ideology in politics, she said even if a party becomes weak, it remains a loner by sticking to its ideology. "But those who sell off their ideological beliefs for the sake of power, become non-existent like CPI-M."

With the Left Front having given its approval, the CPI-M at the end of its two-day session on Saturday said its politburo will take a final call on the issue of forming an alliance with the Congress for the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls.

Chaired by veteran Marxist leader Biman Bose in the presence of general secretary Sitaram Yechury and his predecessor Prakash Karat, the two-day session saw the party discussing its strategy for the crucial assembly polls.

Lashing out at efforts to cobble up a Congress-Left Front alliance in the coming West Bengal assembly polls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday dubbed the proposed tie-up as a "mistake" and "devoid of any ideology" and said it would come a cropper.

"The (Left Front spearhead) Communist Party of India-Marxist used to abuse the Congress. They used to call Rajiv Gandhi 'Bofors Gandhi' (a reference to the alleged Bofors scandal which broke out during Gandhi's prime ministerial stint when various members of the Swedish and Indian governments were accused of receiving commission from Swedish gun supplier A B Bofors with regard to the purchase of 155 mm howitzer field guns).

"The CPI-M used to call Indira Gandhi autocrat and painted pictures depicting her in poor light on the walls. The very same CPI-M is now making a volte face. They now want to team up with the Congress. And the Congress leaders are also dancing to the CPI-M tune and welcoming the idea," Banerjee said at a Trinamool Congress programme here.

"Discussion with parties outside the Left Front are on, and at the session, members also discussed the issue of talks with the Congress. The state committee's views on the poll strategy will be put forth before the politburo. The politburo and the central committee will take a final call on the issue," the CPI-M party said in a statement.

The CPI-M central committee is scheduled to hold a three-day session from February 16.

On Thursday, the Marxists led Left Front -- the state's main opposition -- gave the stamp of approval on holding alliance talks with the Congress, but put the ball in the Congress's court, saying it has to approach the combine first with the proposal. 

With the motto "Oust Trinamool Congress and save Bengal" and "Oust BJP to save India", the party said it will undertake a series of movements across the state to "save Bengal from anarchy, preserve communal harmony and re-establish democracy".

Calling on workers to strengthen the party organisation to take on the Mamata Banerjee government over a host of issues, the party also stressed the need to stand up against communal forces.

"Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat is slated to undertake several programmes in the state during February 18-22. Going by the RSS' character, attempts can be made to disrupt the communal harmony in the state. We need to be on our guard and endeavour to preserve communal harmony," the party said.

With the assembly polls less than three months away, the state leadership of the CPI-M has time and again made overtures to the Congress for a joint fight against the Trinamool.

Mamata Banerjee said even if the alliance comes into being, it would not dent her party's prospects at the hustings.

"They are making a mistake. They have jettisoned their ideals. Those who forego their ideals, they lose their credibility."

In contrast, she said, her Trinamool has never compromised on its ideals.

Referring to the Trinamool pulling out of the United Progressive Alliance-2 coalition in 2012 on the twin issues of diesel price hike and retail FDI, Banerjee said her party's ministers had resigned rather than going against its ideals.

"Those who change their ideals,.. the CPI-M, Congress alliance is a big mistake. BJP is also with them. The three parties have come together against us in elections also.

"We don't care if there is any alliance.. You people won't be able to weaken me or my party. As long as I live I will live like a lion. But I want them to forge an alliance, so that they can evaluate their political standing."