Calcutta, Feb. 15: The Left and the Congress today used a protest march brought out to condemn the police action at Jawaharlal Nehru University as a platform to attack the state government and press for an alliance in Bengal.

Although anti-Modi slogans filled the air as the protesters marched from College Square to Dorina Crossing, the focus shifted to attacking the Mamata Banerjee government when the leaders delivered their speeches.

"The rally was called to protest the police action at JNU. Leaders of several political organisations joined it without their party flags. Why is Trinamul silent?" asked the Congress's Om Prakash Mishra, a JNU alumnus.

Almost all leaders who spoke at the rally asked the same question. They were quick to point out that Mamata had spoken out during the intolerance debate.

Calls to Trinamul spokesperson Derek O'Brien went unanswered.

Today's march saw Congress veterans Somen Mitra, Abdul Mannan, Pradip Bhattacharya and Arunava Ghosh walking along with CPI leader Manju Mazumdar and the CPM's Sujan Chakraborty and Ritabrata Banerjee.

"We had expected the chief minister to condemn the JNU incident. If she had called a rally, we would have joined. But she is silent because she is an ally of Modi in Delhi," Mannan said.

The CPM's Ritabrata echoed Mannan. "We are used to such attacks in Bengal under Didibhai. Now the same is happening under Modi bhai," he said.

Leaders of both the CPM and the Congress today saw in the march an indication of an alliance waiting to happen. They privately conceded that the march would make their case stronger in Delhi.

The hand-holding in Calcutta came a day before the CPM's politburo meeting in the national capital, where the Bengal unit's decision in favour of an alliance with the Congress will be discussed.

Congress leaders in the state have also spoken in favour of an alliance and are waiting for the high command's decision. They had met Rahul Gandhi recently to convey their support for a tie-up.