West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Sunday rejected Trinamool Congress’ demand for advancing 2011 Assembly elections in the State, saying it was only the State government which could make a recommendation in the matter.
“We have thought over holding the elections on scheduled time. Only the State government can take a decision to hold elections early or not,” Mr. Bhattacharjee said.
Addressing a press conference at the CPI(M) party office in Kolkata, the Chief Minister, without naming Mamata Banerjee, said the person who made this demand was not conversant with the Constitution.
“The careless utterances indicate reckless and whimsical thoughts,” he pointed out.
He alleged that forces like the RSS, Maoists, ultra-rightists and foreign forces have joined together to fight the Left.
Mr. Bhattacharjee said RSS mouthpiece Organiser recently said the Trinamool Congress should come to power in West Bengal, indicating that the two organisations had united against the Left Front.
“Those leaders from the BJP who have joined the Trinamool Congress have links with the RSS,” he claimed.
Attacking the Trinamool Congress, Mr. Bhattacharjee said whereas the Left parties want the progress of West Bengal, Trinamool wants to take the State backward.
Mr. Bhattacharjee accused Trinamool Congress of facilitating the support base for the Maoists in West Bengal by consistently denying their existence.
Questioning the rationality of Trinamool Congress’ argument that there was no Maoist in West Bengal, he argued how could they be absent if Naxals existed in neighbouring States of Jharkhand and Orissa.
“Even the Centre will never accept the argument of Trinamool Congress,” the Chief Minister said.
Maoists were blatantly used by Trinamool Congress to create violence in Nandigram, he alleged.
The Congress had realised that the party was a violent and reactionary force and this led to the opposition to its former ally on the issue of civic polls, he said.
The Chief Minister also mocked Trinamool’s “impossible” claim of transforming Kolkata into a London-like city if it won the May 30 civic elections.
“The claim is utterly divorced from reality prevailing in the State or for that matter in the country.”
Mr. Bhattacharjee also questioned Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s frequent announcements of new trains. “We do not know where trains like ‘Duranto’ or others are going,” he said.
