LF should reconsider party strength: Gurudas

Kolkata, Dec 14 (UNI) CPI general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta today asked the CPI (M)-led Left Front to introspect into why the party's strength was not growing in the country.

'' It is unfortunate that in spite of the Left parties ruling in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura for so long, it has not succeeded in doing so in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, or for that matter in Bihar, '' Mr Biswas said in a rally here.

He commented, " The LF's strength is the CPI's strength and the CPI's strength is the LF's strength and the CPI(M) is a major party in the LF but can't do anything alone. '' The Left parties were supporting the Congress-led United Progressive alliance (UPA) government at the Centre on the basis of Common Minimum Programme (CMP) agenda but it was not maintaining its assurances, he said.

He alleged the UPA government was toeing the former Bharatiya Janata Party's line by protecting the interests of the capitalists and not doing anything for the poor farmers and the Khet Majoor.

'' We have appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to take steps in this regard, '' he said and added, '' It is shameless that we are still supporting the UPA government and do not know how long we will continue to do so. '' He alleged that the workers were not getting even the minimum wages, the jute workers were not getting their bonus and the Centre does not do anything for the closed tea gardens workers in West Bengal. '' We are urging Mr Bhattacharjee to do more for the farmers and workers of the state, '' he said.

Speaking on people's demand for eviction of Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, he said, '' I have never supported her writing since there were certain sections, which could hurt the sentiments of the minority community. '' He said the party's objective was to form a democratic front in the country.

State Water Resources Minister Nandagopal Bhattacharjee said it had been decided that the industry would be held on barren land and if necessary one-crop land could be taken from the farmers by providing them compensation for their land.

However, he said differnenes within the Front started after the Haldia Development Authority (HDA) land acquiring notification in Nandigram was issued, where both Left and the right forces had started revolting against the government.

'' The HDA have no authority to notify the land acquiring notice, '' he said and added that later the Opposition, including All India Trinamool Congress, BJP and the Maoists, had captured the area within 11 months, he said.

He said the Chief Minister had said in Delhi that peace would be restored in the state and there would be no more Nandigram in the future.

CPI state secretary Manju Majumder said unity was now of utmost importance to the front and urged the Forward Bloc to reconsider their decision to contest in the Panchayat elections alone.

'' We are also urging the CPI (M), as a major partner in the Front, to come forward with a soft stand and discuss with the partners in every issue. The CPI(M) should take the reponsibility for uniting the LF, '' he said.

UNI