Prez expresses serious concern over Mamta's deteriorating health

New Delhi, Dec 28 (UNI) Expressing serious concern over the deteriorating health of Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, President APJ Abdul Kalam today asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ''find a way'' to ''end the stalemate''.

According to a Rashtrapatipati Bhawan spokesperson, the President urged the PM to evolve an enabling mechanism so that Ms Banerjee could end her fast at the earliest.

The President had spoken to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also in this connection earlier in the day as also two days ago, the spokesperson said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had instructed the central authorities to extend whatever medical care was required for the Trinamool Congress leader who has been on an indefinite fast in Kolkata for the past 24 days.

Ms Banerjee is protesting the alleged forced acquisition of farmers' land in Singur, West Bengal, by the state government for the constuction of a car plant to be set up by Tatas.

Responding to the 'indefinite fast', Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata yesterday, while blaming his competitors, had said his group would not pull out of the Singur automobile project in West Bengal despite the issue snowballing into a political controversy.

UNI DG/AN VV1909