Maoists admit link with Trinamool

Banned CPI(Maoist), for the first time, claimed that they have a "movement-oriented alliance with Trinamool Congress". Snigdhendu Bhattacharya reports.

Banned CPI(Maoist), for the first time, claimed that they have a "movement-oriented alliance with Trinamool Congress".

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The TMC denied the claim, alleging that it was a ploy of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), while the latter claimed that it only proved what they had been saying all along, and demanded action against the UPA constituent.

A media statement, purportedly signed by CPI(Maoist) West Bengal state committee member Vikram said: "We want our movement-oriented alliance with Mamata Banerjee to flourish, but for that she'll also have to stand firmly in the favour of the common man."

The single-page statement dated December 31, which also claimed that Banerjee was in telephonic contact with the Maoists, however, also criticised her for rampant corruption in her party and for its alliance with the Congress.

The declaration said both Maoists and TMC were silent on their alliance because of political compulsions, but they are coming out in the open as there is nothing more to hide.

"We fought together during the struggles in Singur, Nandigram ... In Nandigram and Lalgarh we even jointly resisted the CPM's armed cadres and the Centre-state combined forces," the statement said. Vikram has been issuing media statements on behalf of the Maoists over the past three months.

"Who knows whether this is a statement by the Maoists or whether the CPM has planted it to malign our image?" said party general secretary Mukul Roy.