Kolkata, December 30:

Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today declared a new 16-party secular democratic alliance to take on the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front in future elections in West Bengal.

With the Panchayat elections in the state scheduled in May 2008, Banerjee announced the formation of Progressive Secular Democratic Front (PSDF) with 16 political parties but none of the outfits outside her Trinamul Congress has much of an electoral presence in West Bengal.

Congress, which leads the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre with the support of the CPI-M-led Left Front, is not part of the new political group. And so is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to woo Muslims.

“I declare the formation of PSDF to fight the atrocities of the CPI-M. We have seen how the CPI-M is making a mockery of democracy — whether it is in Singur, Nandigram or in cases like the death of Rizwanur Rahman. We will henceforth fight the CPI-M unitedly,” she told reporters here.

Besides Trinamul Congress, PSDF includes Samajwadi Party (Mulayam Singh), Janata Dal-United, Janata Dal-Secular, Indian Union Muslim League, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha among others. Some small communist parties are also part of the front. “We have a steering committee and convenors and henceforth we will take all decisions jointly,” Banerjee said.

Without naming Congress, Banerjee took a pot shot at the party for its alleged double standards. “Some parties don’t believe in taking part in the people’s struggles throughout the year but go for local alliance when it comes to grabbing power in municipalities or boards. I make it clear that from now onwards one has to negotiate with PSDF before entering into any such local adjustments,” Banerjee said. “We don’t approve of any selfish politics.”