Bhattacharjee makes another appeal to Mamata

Kolkata, Dec 11(UNI) Making a fresh appeal to Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee to withdraw hunger strike, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee today again called for negotiation over the Singur issue.

" I would like to once again appeal to her to end fasting and sit for discussion with the government on issues relating to Singur project, " the Chief Minister said as the Trinamool supremo's hunger strike entered the eighth day.

This was the fourth appeal in a week by the Chief Minister to Ms Banerjee, continuing an indefinite hunger strike against acquisition of farm land at Singur for the Tatas' small car project.

Mr Bhattacharjee had also sent an offical letter to her in this regard on December eight.

" I requested her to sit for discussion. If she was not ready to meet me personally she could have sent one of her party representatives. But we have not received any response so far, " Mr Bhattacharjee said.

The Chief Minister, who was in Delhi for two days to attend the National Development Council (NDC) meeting, said BJP leader L K Advani had contacted him over phone to "discuss developments" over Singur small car project.

Besides the Chief Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu and Left Front Chairman Biman Bose also made repeated requests to the Trinamool leader to withdraw her hunger strike and enter into dialogues with the Government over compensation and rehabilitation packages and industrial training for the people whose land had been acquired for the Tata project.

UNI KDG SJC/SRC1835