CPM has lost political ground in Bengal: TMC

Kolkata: Taking a dig at the CPM on Wednesday, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader said that the West Bengal Chief Minister and other senior ministers were campaigning only in their own constituencies as the party had lost political ground.

"Buddhadebbabu, Goutambabu and his comrades are in such a state of panic about their fate in the West Bengal elections that they are campaigning only in their own constituencies instead of electioneering statewide," TMC Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said in Kolkata.

Alleging that the Left Front government had failed in its over three decade tenure in the state, Chatterjee referred to Housing Minister Goutam Deb's potshots at Mamata at a press conference yesterday, and said that the minister should first clarify what the state government had done in the last 34 years.

Chatterjee also condemned Deb's reference to the TMC chief that 'if CPM is in coma, she is brain dead'.

"Goutambabu is ill and has lost his mental balance," he said.

"Deb and the CPM welcome Mamata Banerjee's death. This is their culture. We are against attacking any individual in such way, which is indecent and in bad taste," he said. "Goutambabu is trying to misguide people, but will not be able to influence public sentiment which has gone against them," Chatterjee said.

Attacking Deb he asked, "How dare he criticise work in other departments, while his department has failed to reply to the CAG which observed that HIDCO violated the Centre's policy on rehabilitation and sought a clarification.

At least in 18 cases, CAG issued show-cause notices to the state government, Chatterjee, Leader of the Opposition in state Assembly, said.

Pointing to the 25 judicial inquiries instituted by the LF government in 34 years, Chatterjee asked, "How many reports were made public?"

Chatterjee defended his party chief's contention during a TV interview on employment in Railways and questioned how many received employment during LF rule when before each election it had promised to give jobs to 2.5 lakh people.

"The LF government has gone bankrupt with a two-lakh-crore-debt, but the ruling party continues to act like a dictator," he said.