Basu backtracks, rules out all-party meet on violence

Panicky state CPI(M) leaders, who read a different message in the Governor’s reaction, hastened to state that the Governor had no authority to call an all-party meeting on any issue. “Only the state government has the authority to call such a meeting,” CPI(M) state secretary Anil Biswas had said.

Basu, who was not in the town when the controversy snowballed, intervened on his arrival and said his government might call an all-party meeting on the issue of political violence spreading in Midnapore, Birbhum, Bankura and Hooghly.

But by ruling out an all-party meeting today, Basu has surprised political circles and the move is being seen as a turnaround. Coming close on the heels of a visit by an NDA team in Midnapore, Basu’s insistence that talks should be held at the local level is also being interpreted as a snub to the Trinamool Congress and the NDA team which has expressed serious doubts about the law and order situation in the district.