Fast over: LF tots up damage done
While Front leaders seemed a relieved lot after the Trinamool leader broke her fast, the CPIM state secretariat met on Friday at the party’s Alimuddin Street headquarters to review the situation.
By TNN |
KOLKATA: Barely hours after Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee concluded her 25-day hunger strike late Thursday night, the ruling Left Front in West Bengal held an emergency meeting on Friday to remove confusion among constituents over the government’s industrialisation drive and upcoming land acquisitions.
While Front leaders seemed a relieved lot after the Trinamool leader broke her fast, the CPIM state secretariat met on Friday at the party’s Alimuddin Street headquarters to review the situation.
It is learnt that the CPIM leadership including chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and commerce and industry minister Nirupam Sen told senior party leaders that they were confident about enabling the Tatas to set up their small car venture in Singur, notwithstanding the agitation by the Trinamool Congress.
However, both CPIM heavyweights have sought the party’s organisational support to enable the Jindals to set up their captive power plant and a steel plant at Salboni in West Midnapore district.
Friday’s Front meeting was organised mainly to pre-empt possible criticism from Left Front constituents over upcoming land acquisition for JSW Steel’s mega plans in Salboni. Calling the meeting was urgent as the West Bengal government is scheduled to sign an agreement with Mr Sajjan Jindal, vice-chairman of JSW Steel, on January 11, 2007.
Left Front chairman Biman Bose said “both Mr Bhattacharjee and Mr Sen attended the Front’s meeting during the day and briefed the constituents over the government’s recent drives to set up industrial units. We discussed the proposed projects of the Sajjan Jindal Group in Salboni. Both ministers have briefed Front partners about JSW Steel’s mega projects,” he added.
CPIM insiders, however, noted that the government and the party would exercise more caution on huge land acquisition plans for JSW Steel’s Salboni projects. “In Singur, the government had to acquire nearly 1000 acres and you know the consequences. But in Salboni, the government proposes to acquire five times the land acquired at Singur. Naturally, all possible measures are being considered by the state government and the party in case of Salboni.”
“But the government is comparatively in a position of strength in Salboni compared to Singur. Land in Salboni which the government will acquire for the Jindals is not fertile like in Singur. Besides Salboni is not a Trinamool Congress bastion like Singur, which is represnted by a Trinamool Congress MLA Rabindra Nath Bhattacharjee,” said a senior CPIM leader.
While Salboni may not be a Trinamool bastion. But the CPIM and its chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee may still face criticism within the Left Front. The three major Front constituents, RSP, Forward Bloc and CPI had criticised the government’s decision to acquire land at Singur. All these partners had also opposed acquisition of multi-crop land at Singur.
While Front leaders seemed a relieved lot after the Trinamool leader broke her fast, the CPIM state secretariat met on Friday at the party’s Alimuddin Street headquarters to review the situation.
It is learnt that the CPIM leadership including chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and commerce and industry minister Nirupam Sen told senior party leaders that they were confident about enabling the Tatas to set up their small car venture in Singur, notwithstanding the agitation by the Trinamool Congress.
However, both CPIM heavyweights have sought the party’s organisational support to enable the Jindals to set up their captive power plant and a steel plant at Salboni in West Midnapore district.
Friday’s Front meeting was organised mainly to pre-empt possible criticism from Left Front constituents over upcoming land acquisition for JSW Steel’s mega plans in Salboni. Calling the meeting was urgent as the West Bengal government is scheduled to sign an agreement with Mr Sajjan Jindal, vice-chairman of JSW Steel, on January 11, 2007.
Left Front chairman Biman Bose said “both Mr Bhattacharjee and Mr Sen attended the Front’s meeting during the day and briefed the constituents over the government’s recent drives to set up industrial units. We discussed the proposed projects of the Sajjan Jindal Group in Salboni. Both ministers have briefed Front partners about JSW Steel’s mega projects,” he added.
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CPIM insiders, however, noted that the government and the party would exercise more caution on huge land acquisition plans for JSW Steel’s Salboni projects. “In Singur, the government had to acquire nearly 1000 acres and you know the consequences. But in Salboni, the government proposes to acquire five times the land acquired at Singur. Naturally, all possible measures are being considered by the state government and the party in case of Salboni.”
“But the government is comparatively in a position of strength in Salboni compared to Singur. Land in Salboni which the government will acquire for the Jindals is not fertile like in Singur. Besides Salboni is not a Trinamool Congress bastion like Singur, which is represnted by a Trinamool Congress MLA Rabindra Nath Bhattacharjee,” said a senior CPIM leader.
While Salboni may not be a Trinamool bastion. But the CPIM and its chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee may still face criticism within the Left Front. The three major Front constituents, RSP, Forward Bloc and CPI had criticised the government’s decision to acquire land at Singur. All these partners had also opposed acquisition of multi-crop land at Singur.
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