CPM feels impact will be ‘minor’

The CPI (M), apart from a likely minor impact in the panchayat elections, feels the party doesn’t stand to lose much politically on the Nandigram police firing issue.

The CPI (M), apart from a likely minor impact in the panchayat elections, feels the party doesn’t stand to lose much politically on the Nandigram police firing issue.

Though the mounting pressure from the allies is causing some worry, the central leadership has thrown its weight behind West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. However, Bhattacharjee and other state leaders will update the party leadership about the Nandigram issue at the Central Committee Meeting beginning from March 31.

The party sticks to the stand that the police action was inevitable in the wake of the “break down of the law and order” and “arms being piled up in the villages” to launch an attack on the police.

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“We regret the loss of lives. But we should not undermine the context. There was break down of the law and order situation,” CPI (M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said, adding she has nothing more to add “following the statement of the West Bengal Chief Minister in the state Assembly today”.

But, party insiders feel that it was not an easy situation to deal with as more than “2,500 party workers have been driven out of the five gram panchayats of Nandigram block 1 since January this year”. The party cadres were not even allowed to enter their homes.

However, the party said there will be some impact in the next panchayat elections “mostly in the Midnapore belt”.

Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

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