Trinamool and CPM: Rivals in politics,partners in business

All builders have to order their material from local syndicates registered with HIDCO,the project sponsor. This rule is aimed at ensuring employment for some of the youths whose families had been displaced by land acquisition.

Till the 2008 panchayat polls,this meant that virtually all orders went to syndicates whose members were CPM supporters. That changed after the TMC’s election triumph in Rajarhat. The Indian Express has found that the Trinamool today controls 175 syndicates to the CPM’s 215.

Far from heralding competition,this has instead brought about a system where syndicates run by either party agree to share deals with those run by the other. Once a developer such as the Tatas or the Ambujas or DLF has sought material,it is the registered syndicates that have been deciding which of them is to make the supply. Based on local strength,they share orders 50:50,with the ratio changing slightly from pocket to pocket.

Such partnerships have clicked at Ghuni,Jatragachi,Nawabpur and Chak Pachuria. Each syndicate has 40-50 members and a group of 20 syndicates forms a cooperative society,run by either party.

“After the panchayat election,we started entering the supply business. Initially there was resistance,but CPM leaders later sought a truce. We agreed on a 50-50 share. Initially,our party had warned us against mingling with CPM men,but what is the alternative?” says Saiful,Trinamool upa-pradhan at Rajarhat-Bishnupur village panchayat. “At present we run 40 syndicates in the area,each making a profit between Rs 1 lakh and 5 lakh every month,” he adds.

At Baliguri-Chak Pachuria,the share is 60 (CPM) to 40 (Trinamool),says Trinamool leader Jalil Mollah,who controls a network of 30 syndicates that supplies to projects such as the Tata Cancer Hospital,Eco Space (Ambuja Realty),Unitech,Ohio Hospital and DPS. “Earlier,we were not allowed to supply to any site. But after the election,we met CPM strongman Gour Mondal,who used to control all syndicates but who now offered us a share.”

The syndicates in this area share manpower too. “There are men from both the Trinamool and the CPM. And in the CPM-run syndicates,they have taken our men,” says Mollah.

At Ghuni Jatragachi area,where the Trinamool runs 30 syndicates supplying to an upcoming five-star hotel and other projects,the share is 50:50. “We work with mutual understanding,” says Sanjib Mondal,the local Trinamol leader in control.

The leadership of both parties knows of this understanding. Rabin Mondal,CPM MLA of Rajarhat,says: “In some places it is the Trinamool who call the shots now and don’t allow our boys to operate. Earlier they used to allege CPM has vested interests in Rajarhat project but now,their stake seems to be higher than ours.” He admits,“There is mutual sharing now.”

Another party leader says,“A huge amount of money is involved in the syndicate business and the sharing has caused a rift in the top leadership. This is also why the Rajarhat agitation is not gaining momentum and can never compare to either Singur and Nandigram.”

Mamata Banerjee has warned party workers several times against teaming up with those of the CPM. After the Vedic Village incident,she expelled several for their involvement in land grabbing.

Expelled leader Joydeb Karmakar says he was made a scapegoat after he had protested against the nexus between workers of the two parties. “ Several senior TMC leaders are involved in this nexus. I had asked Trinamool workers to take one stand,either supply the construction material after accepting compensation for land or participate in the movement against land grabbing.”

Developers say they have to suffer in this arrangement,often having to compromise on quality. Pradip Surekha,a real estate developer with projects in Rajarhat,said,“Quality is an issue. Another problem is that the material we are buying is priced at least 7-10 per cent higher than the market price.”

Santosh Rungta of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India said,“The quality of the material the syndicates supply is not always up to the mark. But the developers are forced to take that material. For now,we have switched to readymade concrete that comes only from reputed companies and we don’t need to depend on syndicates for that. But the syndicates run under political banners and have started pressuring us to recruit their men as contract labourers,which we do not want.”