Trounced, Mamata’s party calls for 10-year plan to fight CPM

‘‘I congratulate the Congress and CPI(M) for their good performance. I am also thankful to the Centre, State Government and the Election Commission for good governance. As for our party, we need to investigate the results and plan for tomorrow,’’ a quiet Mamata told mediapersons.

With the morale down, party leaders began looking for scapegoats. ‘‘We obviously lacked the CPI(M)’s organisational skills. We cannot fight the party with a strategy of four weeks. We need a 10-year programme. We need to support the ruling party where required since our own credibility is at stake,’’ said Dinesh Trivedi, Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha member.

The Congress, which spurned Didi’s efforts at forming a Mahajot, fared no better. At 21 seats, the party’s tally was down by five.

‘‘We were over-obsessed with Mahajot. Also, the CPI(M)’s campaign strategy was much better than ours,’’ said Pradip Bhattacharya, WBPCC leader.

Small surprise then that Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was found to be lamenting the dwindling strength of the Opposition.

‘‘A good Opposition debating with the government in and out of the Assembly actually helps the government to become alert,’’ he said.

–nandini.guhaexpressindia.com