Didi frowns as Advani makes Buddha smile

For Mamata and her Trinamool, nothing could be deadlier than this. In fact, the salvo fired by her at Advani over Eastern Railway’s bifurcation — that the ‘‘PMO has been hijacked’’ — is seen within the Trinamool as a sign of her desperation at this new dispensation.

Unlike Basu, who called the BJP leadership ‘‘uncivilised barbarians’’, Bhattacharya has been cultivating them, particularly Advani. The changing power equations within the BJP at the Centre are paying dividends for Bhattacharya’s efforts.

CPI(M) state secretary Anil Biswas defended Bhattacharya against charges that the CM is getting too close to the Deputy PM. ‘‘It is natural that a Chief Minister will meet Union Ministers to pursue matters. There is nothing wrong in it,’’ Biswas putt the party’s stamp of approval on Bhattacharya’s mission.

Bureaucrats in the state trace the Bhattacharya-Advani bonhomie back to the days when the two leaders agreed on the issues of terrorism and the threat posed by the ISI. There have been remarkable changes in intelligence sharing between the state police set up and central agencies like the IB.

The Opposition and the LF constituents admit the understanding goes well beyond admiration and is a political strategy. It helps the CPI(M) to have the opposition split as the Mamata’s isolation will distance Trinamool from the state BJP. Though the BJP has no major stake in Bengal, it is willing to give concessions to the Bengal government to soften up the LF opposition at the Centre.