CPM holds fort,vows comeback

The rally,concluding the CPM’s 23rd state conference, was the first organised by the CPM after the defeat of the Left Front in West Bengal after 34 years.

Karat attacked the Trinamool Congress for its “double standards” on petro-product prices. “Petroleum has been decontrolled and the Trinamool was party to it. After Assembly elections in five states are over,there will be a hike in petro-products…. there are two faces of the TMC. In Delhi cabinet meetings they support it,and in Kolkata they say they are opposing it,’’ he said.

He said that though the party had been written off by many,the CPM would move ahead. “Those who think they can crush the party through oppression and violence,I want to tell them that the glorious history of the Left Front government in the state cannot be wiped out by violence. Comrades of the whole country are with you,’’ he told the crowd.

In his address,former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee alleged that anti-socials were calling the shots in West Bengal under the Trinamool government,and that the government had compromised with the Maoists in Junglemahal and divisive forces in the Hills.

“Law and order has become a severe problem as killings,extortion and other crimes have increased manifold. The anti-socials have a free run as they think it is their own government,” he said.

The rally was also addressed by leader of Opposition Surya Kanta Mishra,CPM state committee

member Biman Bose and politburo member Mohammad Amin.

After the barrage of criticism against it,the Trinamool Congress hit back,saying the Marxists were “indulging in falsehood”. “They have no right to speak on suicide by farmers because 1,200 farmers committed suicide during the 34-year-old Left rule,” Trinamool leader Partha Chatterjee said at a press conference. “During the last eight months,only one farmer committed suicide in Bengal.”

Alleging that the “jealous CPM” is out to “hatch a conspiracy” against the state government to “prevent development works”,the minister said: “The CM has solved the impasse in the Hills and brought back peace in Junglemahal”. Out of jealousy,the CPM is trying to create trouble in the Hills and Junglemahal,he added.