00:00And yes, that's the first reaction from the left on bridging ties with none other than Mamata Banerjee.
00:06CPM has pitched for India Block Plus.
00:09Yes, that's the latest as CPM has said that they should bring non-NDA parties together.
00:15CPM has said that there is a need for a stronger united opposition.
00:19Mamata Banerjee, CPM, looks like are wanting to bridge the gap after decades of the longest rivalry that has been
00:31seen.
00:32Mamata Banerjee is backing the CPM's call for a joint opposition strategy.
00:37Listen in.
00:46We recalled our past association and she assured that it's very important what you have, the initiative you have taken
00:54to bring all political parties together.
00:57She was saying that, she was speaking to Congress leaders about meeting of the India Block.
01:03And then I mentioned that India Block is important, but it has to be India Block Plus.
01:09The parties which are not there, opposition parties.
01:13They should also be brought together, if they are willing and all that.
01:18She said yes.
01:21Let me take this to my colleague Anupam Mishnah joining us on the broadcast.
01:25Anupam, this is a classic example of how an enemy's enemy becomes your friend automatically,
01:30given the sort of political rivalry between the CPM and the TMC.
01:35Mamata Banerjee, and how it has lasted for decades, where the two have been in a head-on battle,
01:41suddenly want to be friends, only to fight against the BJP.
01:45Well, you know, both TMC and left parties have always been an arch-rival in West Ringwald.
01:52They have fought against each other.
01:56But this outreach, this CPM General Secretary, M.A. Debi, wrote to non-NGA parties, including TMC,
02:02and seeking broader cooperation and joint strategy over concerns regarding the Election Commission and electoral rules.
02:09And after that, both have communicated.
02:12And it seems that this alliance or this cooperation is basically in the national level,
02:19national front, which Mamata Banerjee had previously also tried to connect.
02:26And this time also, she and left parties and Congress are trying to build a arch-rival against BJP,
02:36a platform against BJP to fight against BJP.
02:41And this is a very peculiar kind of alliance, which you know that both left and TMC have always been
02:50against each other,
02:51fighting against each other in West Ringwald.
02:53But at the national level, they are trying to consolidate their relationship for the sake of a broader coalition
03:04between non-BGP, non-NGA parties.
03:07So this is the kind of effort which we have seen earlier also.
03:10But this time, let's see what happens.
03:14Alright, many thanks for getting us those details.
