Saturday, August 20 2005 11:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: An alliance between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress to take on the ruling Left Front in the 2006 West Bengal assembly polls would be possible if the latter snapped ties with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Defence minister Pranab Mukherjee said yesterday (August 19, 2005).

"We are an all-India political party and we have a political perspective. NDA is our main political enemy at the national level. We cannot have an alliance with NDA or its partner unless it leaves the NDA. The alliance is possible if Trinamool Congress snaps ties with NDA," Mukherjee, who will lead the party in the next year's elections, told reporters.

Asked whether 2006 assembly polls would be held on the basis of the new demarcation of constituencies, he said there was little chance of this in the polls in West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry since it might not be possible for the delimitation commission to complete its work by then.

He said that the commission would hold the public hearings for three days from September 5, 2005 and thereafter make final recommendations. Laws would have to be passed and gazette notification would have to be issued.

"I don't think it will be possible to complete the process by the dates of the elections in these states," he said.

He, however, said that it could be possible if the process was completed fast by the commission.