Rejecting the Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Bannerjee’s call for a joint action plan against the railway bifurcation, West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said: ‘‘It’s not clear what the TMC is trying to do’’. His statement came when he was asked about the Trinamool’s invitation to convene an all-party meeting for a joint agitation.Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress is starting its agitation from tomorrow with 48 dharnas at major stations. Rejecting the Trinamool invitation, Buddha warned that the bandh called by the party on August 5 ‘‘would create bitterness between West Bengal and Bihar.’’‘‘The bandh will not serve any purpose,’’ he said adding that ‘‘it would embitter Bengal-Bihar ties which we don’t want. And we’ll not support the bandh.’’ He was referring to Bannerjee’s call for a united agitation on the issue.Incidentally, Bhattacharya had issued a statement from South Africa on the day the Union Cabinet had decided to stick to bifurcation stand saying that ‘‘the people of West Bengal will not accept the decision.’’ His apparent retreat stems from pressures within the party. The CPI(M) fears that a strong movement might jeopardize the Left’s interests in the Hindi belt.
