West Bengal Elections: Gautam Deb congratulates Mamata

KOLKATA: CPI(M)'s star campaigner and West Bengal Housing minister Gautam Deb today conceded that Mamata Banerjee's fight for land and farmers had been endorsed by the people.

Deb, who submitted 'documents' to the Election Commission in support of his charges of use of blackmoney by the Trinamool Congress in its election expenses during the phased election, said he would like to extend wishes to Mamata Banerjee.

"The blackmoney does not matter. People wanted a change," he said.

"I wish her all success for the development of Bengal. We bow our head. We will cooperate with her," Deb told a TV channel.

Visibly embarrassed at the severe poll drubbings for the CPI(M)-led Left Front, Deb, who forecast that Front would secure 152-160 seats, said ''the estimate has proved wrong''.

''We tried our best, but ultimately we failed'', he conceded.

Stating that Singur and Nandigram had become a world issue, the CPI(M) leader said "we have to see such things never happen and there is no repetition of Singur and Nandigram in Bengal".

He traced CPI(M)'s poll debcale in 2009 Lok Sabha polls to political, organsiational weaknesses'' and there should be fresh analysis of the poll debacle in Assembly elections.