Rahul Gandhi, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee share stage in unity show

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and former West Bengal Chief Minister and CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee being garlanded by Congress- CPI(M) Candidate Deepa Dasmunshi and others at a joint election campaign rally in Kolkata. (Photo: PTI)

In an unprecedented political event, former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Wednesday shared the stage with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and called upon the people to oust the “corrupt and undemocratic” Trinamul Congress from power to save Bengal.

Despite his ailing health, Mr Bhattacharjee, who was the architect of the Left-Congress electoral alliance in Bengal, addressed both Left and Congress workers for the first time in the ongoing Assembly election at Park Circus grounds.

On April 19, he had held a road show from Dhakuria to Garia and asked people to vote for the Left-Congress alliance candidates. But Wednesday’s public appearance bore significance as the presence of both Mr Bhattcharjee and Mr Gandhi on the same stage was the strongest display of Left-Congress bonding at this crucial stage of Bengal polls.

In this rare show of bonhomie, state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury placed a huge garland around the two leaders and the veteran CPI(M) leader addressed the Congress vice-president as “dear Rahul”.

Acknowledging that it was an “unprecedented” rally in Bengal, Mr Bhattacharjee said, “You can very well understand the significance of this meet. Bengal has not witnessed this before. This is unprecedented. People here have seen many rallies in the state but today’s rally where I stand together with Rahul Gandhi is rare in history. Those who are present here are Left and Congress supporters and they all have united. You can see both tricolours and red flags together.”

The former chief minister continued, “There are Left and Congress leaders on the dais. Why have we assembled It is because we are facing a grave danger and we have to fight together to save Bengal. TMC government is destroying Bengal and we alone cannot save it.” His every sentence was received with thunderous applause from both Left and Congress workers.

“This government has destroyed the economy of the state. If it remains in power, then not a single industry will be set up here. They have unleashed a rule of terror and threatening everyone from media, political parties, judges and people above all,” Mr Bhattacharjee said.

He also shared anecdotes about how former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had helped the CPI(M)-led Left Front in setting up panchayat system in Bengal. “The Left-Congress alliance will win and we are on the road ahead to victory. We know how to fight and we know we can do it.”

We have to defeat the Trinamul and we have to defeat the BJP,” said the veteran CPI(M) leader.

Echoing him, Mr Gandhi said, “The alliance is winning and it will win. Stand on the roads and do not move back. Let us show the TMC what the unity of people can do.”