New Delhi, Dec 17 (NationPress) Recently, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala dismissed the possibility of collaborating with the Congress to counter the rising dominance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in local governance. Meanwhile, a split between the two parties is anticipated in West Bengal, where they previously joined forces against the ruling Trinamool Congress.

It is noteworthy that all three political entities opposing the BJP are members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) coalition.

In Kerala, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is spearheaded by the CPI (M), while the Congress represents the main faction of the Opposition coalition, the United Democratic Front (UDF).

The UDF performed better in the recent local body elections in Kerala compared to the LDF, as the BJP emerged as a potential third force with significant success in Thiruvananthapuram.

In West Bengal, the BJP has become the primary Opposition, surpassing both the Congress and the Left from the Assembly.

Notably, Assembly elections are set to occur in both Kerala and West Bengal the following year. In West Bengal, the Congress is signaling its intention to primarily contest independently after facing setbacks in previous elections.

The Left Front is fragmented, with the CPI(M) appearing indecisive, while some of its partners remain resistant to a formal alliance with the Congress.

These factions have highlighted that electoral outcomes indicate their votes consolidated in favor of their alliance partners, but not with Congress voters.

For numerous Congress officials and supporters, accusations of oppression during the Left's governance are hindering vote consolidation.

Conversely, the current generation of Communists or their supporters have little recollection of the pre-1977 Congress governance in West Bengal. Despite the Congress-Left partnership, they opted to contest separately in six Assembly constituencies that required repolls last year after the sitting MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha.

Senior Congress leaders have reportedly urged their members to prepare for greater self-reliance rather than another seat-sharing agreement.

This indicates a strategic realignment following recent unsatisfactory performances and a desire to re-establish the party's base in the state.

With the upcoming 2024 repoll contest in mind, Left Front allies like the All India Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party have opposed sharing seats with the Congress and are calling for larger seat allocations if negotiations proceed.

Reports from the ground and media portray the situation as uncertain, with grassroots demands for a more equitable number of seats and recent electoral insights—especially from Bihar—instilling caution on both sides. Both Congress and the Left are sensitive to which party concedes which seats after recent defeats.

While the Congress aims to revitalize its identity rather than be overshadowed, smaller Left allies fear further marginalization within any broad coalition. Votes against the Trinamool and BJP risk further fragmentation if Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) joins the race, either independently or in partnership with a political group soon to be launched by the builders of the Babri Masjid.

However, if polarisation along religious lines occurs and Muslim votes fragment, the ruling party could face significant uncertainty.