Chinks perceptible in the Opposition is a cause for cheer for the beleaguered Trinamool. Right from run-up of state Assembly election in 2021, the state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Choudhury has made no secret of his apathy for the ISF as both Congress and ISF are eyeing the same vote bank- Bengali Muslims.

Looking forward to securing a big chunk of this electoral segment, it is no secret to Trinamool that Congress and ISF are vying to attain a portion of this vote bank. The ruling dispensation is considering it to be a division of Opposition votes.

Such a division of Opposition votes appears to be to Trinamool's advantage. This division, the TMC leadership feels existing in swathes of the state inhabited by this particular vote bank brightens chances of victory of its candidates.

Indeed, Trinamool' leadership which seems to be sure of its voters' support in the ballot boxes feels its victory prospects to have been bettered by Congress and ISF vying for the votes of those opposed to the ruling dispensation. The likely division of Opposition votes will not improve the possibility of winning of a candidate be he/she represent Congress or ISF.

In the course of the opposition campaign during 2021 assembly polls, differences surfaced between the Congress and the ISF. Things came to a head when state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Choudhury was at the point of walking in a huff from the podium of an election rally when slogans of ISF supporters threatened to drown his speech.

Left Front chairman Biman Bose restrained Choudhury from staging a walkout from the podium on which Left, Congress and ISF leaders shared space. But the incident was a clear pointer that there was no love lost between Congress and ISF.

Things continued to go downhill after announcement of the election when ISF candidate from Bhangar Naushad Siddiqui emerged to be the sole Opposition legislator. None of the candidates from Congress and Left emerged victorious.

Even as Congress-ISF relations worsened, ties between ISF and Left went on improving. Activists and senior leaders of CPI(M) were at the head of an agitation when Siddiqui was in a long judicial custody after his arrest during a ISF throwing traffic haywire in Kolkata.

Amicable relations between Left and ISF reached a new high following the defection of Bairan Biswas, the lone Congress legislator from Sagardighi who won with Left support. It stands in contrast to the ISF MLA Siddiqui remaining unmoved despite offers of enticement and threats of intimidation to make him switch loyality to TMC camp.

Several district level CPI(M) leaders may have recently rubbed the state leadership the wrong way drawing contrast between the actions of Siddiqui and Biswas. It did not improve relations with Congress but these district leaders of CPI(M) had made a point.

This is one of the reasons which prompted the CPI(M) leadership in hiking ahead with declaring its rural poll nominees. It dented Congress-Left ties but there was no prospect of rethink on part of the Left.

Based in and around Bhangar in South-24-Parganas, influence of ISF extends to several districts. Talks are on between the Left Front and ISF leaderships about stitching up a poll alliance in parts of the districts of North and South-24-Parganas, Midnapore (east) and Howrah.

Slim margin often separates the winner and loser in panchayat election in all of its three tiers. The election results will be in favour of the ruling dispensation of the state in the seats where a division of Opposition votes will occur especially in the seats where Congress, ISF and TMC will be locked in a triangular contest. (IPA Service)