The Left parties are willing to provide outside support to any alternative coalition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. The TMC, which won 34 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 national polls, wrested power from the Left Front after 34 years in West Bengal. The Congress later formed an alliance with the TMC and Banerjee served as the railway minister in the UPA government. CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said his party has always tried to provide outside support to secular governments at the Centre. Also read | ‘BJP workers entering Bengal in central forces uniform’: Mamata BanerjeeYechury insisted a party can play an effective role from outside.

Source: Hindustan Times May 14, 2019 01:51 UTC