Secular Democratic Alliance
Secular Democratic Alliance | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | SDA |
| Leader | |
| Lok Sabha Leader | Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury |
| Rajya Sabha Leader | Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Preceded by | Sanjukta Morcha |
| Ideology | Secularism Social democracy Progressivism Democratic socialism Communism |
| Political position | Left-wing (including centre-left and far-left factions) |
| Alliance | Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (National level) |
| Seats in Lok Sabha | 2 / 42 |
| Seats in Rajya Sabha | 1 / 16 |
| Seats in West Bengal Legislative Assembly | 0 / 294 |
Secular Democratic Alliance[1][2] is a political alliance formed ahead of the 2024 Indian general election in West Bengal by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress in opposition to the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.[3][4][5]
Background[edit]
Following the heavy defeats in the 2011 Legislative Assembly election and the 2014 general election, the CPI(M) welcomed ideas of the alliance even with non-communist parties. The first signs came when in the Siliguri municipal election, CPI(M) made some local understanding with INC resulting in CPI(M) leader Ashok Bhattacharya being appointed as the mayor. This success got popularity as "Siliguri Model".[6] After the success of the model, in the long run, some Congress and CPI(M) leader advocated for a Left-Congress alliance.[7] This gradually materialized into "alliance" between INC and Left Front.
Given the political history of West Bengal, the materialisation of an alliance between the Congress & the CPI(M), 2 parties that have been bitter rivals of each other since the 1970s & have a history of unleashing political violence against each other's cadres, took the political circles of the state by surprise. After much dispute and secession of SUCI(C) and CPI(ML)L from the Left Front, both Congress and Communists formed an understanding basis of what they called "seat-sharing", strongly objecting to the use of the word "alliance".
In 2016, Mahajot[8][9] was formed on the broad agreement that some political parties proposed before the 2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election for fighting against the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and the Bharatiya Janata Party on national level. Left Front consisting of CPI(M), CPI, RSP, AIFB and DSP along with INC released their respective candidate list in several rounds after consultations and bargaining.[10][11] However, the alliance failed to gain the majority seats in the assembly elections.[12] Afterwards, ahead of 2019 Indian general election, the alliance between the Congress and the Left Front is off the cards as both camps could not agree on a seat-sharing formula for Lok Sabha elections.[13][14]
Subsequently, Mahajot succeeded to Sanjukta Morcha[15] in 2021 with the joining of ISF in the alliance. Despite a spirited campaign, both the Left Front and the Indian National Congress drew a blank in the election with a considerable decrease in their respective vote shares. That was the first time when, the West Bengal Legislative Assembly was devoid of any Left Front or INC MLA.[16] Afterwards, ahead of 2024 Indian general election, ISF decided to contest alone in the Lok Sabha polls due to some differences in seat sharing and marks the end of alliance with Left and Congress.[17] Thereafter, Sanjukta Morcha succeeded to LF-INC Alliance[18] or Secular Democratic Alliance.
Members[edit]
| Party | Flag | Symbol | Leader(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Party | ||||
| Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 
|
|
Mohammed Salim | |
| Indian National Congress | 
|
|
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury | |
| State Party | ||||
| All India Forward Bloc | 
|
|
Naren Chatterjee | |
| Revolutionary Socialist Party | 
|
|
Tapan Hor | |
| Communist Party of India | 
|
|
Swapan Banerjee | |
| Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation | 
|
|
Janardan Prasad | |
| Jharkhand Mukti Morcha | 
|
|
Shibu Soren | |
| Nationalist Congress Party- Sharadchandra Pawar | 
|
Sharad Pawar | ||
| Rashtriya Janata Dal | 
|
|
||
| Registered Party | ||||
| Hamro Party | 
|
|
Ajoy Edwards | |
| Democratic Socialist Party (Prabodh Chandra) | 
|
|
Prabodh Chandra Sinha | |
| Marxist Forward Bloc |
|
|
Ashish Chakraborty | |
| Revolutionary Communist Party of India |
|
|
Subhas Roy | |
| Bolshevik Party of India |
|
|
Probir Ghosh | |
| Workers Party of India |
|
|
Sibnath Sinha | |
| Biplobi Bangla Congress |
|
|
||
Electoral history[edit]
Results of Indian general elections in West Bengal[edit]
| Election Year | Overall Votes | % of overall votes | Total seats | Seats won/ Seats contested |
+/- in seats | +/- in vote share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 42 |
See also[edit]
- Communist Party of India (Marxist), West Bengal
- Left Democratic Front
- Left Front (West Bengal)
- West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Suhrid Sarkar Chattopadhyay (30 March 2016). "Uniting 'secular, democratic' forces". frontline.thehindu.com. Kolkata: The Hindu.
- ^ "Bengal CPI(M) for unity of Left, democratic and secular forces". Business Standard. 8 Feb 2018.
- ^ "Lok Sabha polls 2024: Left, Congress talks on in West Bengal to keep BJP, TMC at bay". The New Indian Express. 19 March 2024.
- ^ "Sonia Gandhi gives nod to Left-Congress alliance in Bengal". August 24, 2019.
- ^ Pradipta Tapadar (January 1, 2016). "West Bengal Assembly Elections 2016: CPI(M), Left Divided Over Alliance With Congress". Pradipta Tapadar.
- ^ "'Siliguri Model': How the Left-Congress 'alliance' was forged". The Indian Express. 17 April 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
- ^ "Left-Congress alliance in West Bengal Elections 2016, hinted Left leaders". infoelections.
- ^ "CPI-M and Congress alliance to continue in Bengal". The Times of India. 23 May 2016.
- ^ "West Bengal: Left-Congress alliance weak in arithmetic and chemistry". The Indian Express. 22 May 2016.
- ^ "West Bengal Assembly Election Left Front Candidate List 2016". Infoelection.
- ^ "West Bengal Assembly Election Congress Candidate List 2016". Infoelection.
- ^ Romita Datta (May 19, 2016). "West Bengal results: It's Mamata all the way, Left-Congress experiment fails".
- ^ Soumya Das (February 19, 2019). "Left-Congress alliance in a mess".
- ^ "We're done: Congress calls off alliance with the Left in West Bengal". India Today. 18 March 2019.
- ^ "With Brigade Rally, Left-Congress-ISF's 'Sanyukta Morcha' Kicks Of Bengal Poll Campaign". Outlook India. 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
- ^ "The rise of BJP and fall of leftist and Congress in West Bengal". The Business Standard. 3 May 2021.
- ^ "Left Front's electoral understanding with the Indian Secular Front falls flat". The Hindu. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ "রাজ্যে ফের বাম-কংগ্রেস জোট, আসনরফা নিয়ে লক্ষ্মীবারই বৈঠক সেলিম-অধীরের". Sangbad Pratidin. 14 Feb 2024. Retrieved 14 Feb 2024.