CPI-M's allies ask Buddhadeb to be 'little more flexible'

KOLKATA: CPI-M's allies in the Left Front today asked West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee to be a 'little more flexible' on the demands made by the Trinamool Congress without hampering the Tatas' Nano car project.

At a meeting of the Left Front committee, the Chief Minister briefed the leaders of the allies including the CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc on the progress of the talks held so far between the government and the opposition at the initiative of Governor Gopal Krisha Gandhi in a bid to break the Singur deadlock.

"The partners have appreciated the attitude so far shown by the state government towards finding a solution to the Singur impasse. We think the state government is showing flexibility, but we want the state government to be more flexible for an amicable settlement of the problem.

"At the same time we want that Trinamool Congress does not do anything which will hamper the implementation of the project," state's PWD Minister and a senior RSP leader Kshiti Goswami, told reporters after the meeting.
He said the partners told the Chief Minister to see if some land within the project area and outside could be given to farmers. Bhattacherjee, in reply, said his hands has been tied as the Tatas needed the whole of the 1,000 acres for the project and ancillary units.

Forward Bloc state secretary Ashok Ghosh told reporters that the Chief Minister had been given a free hand to decide on the land issue. Goswami said the opposition was demanding that at least 230 acres of land from 1000 acres earmarked for the project be returned to the 'unwilling' farmers which was not 'feasible'.