CPM relents to partners' demands, survives allies' threat

Kolkata, Mar 17 (UNI) Defusing a full-blown crisis in the West Bengal Ministry, the ruling Left Front today decided that land would not be acquired in Nandigram and the police force would be withdrawn.

In what appeared to be a successful damage control following the threat of three partners to quit the Ministry, the CPI(M) managed to assuage their frayed nerves agreeing that all important political decisions would be taken jointly.

''The meeting has decided that land will not be acquired for industry in Nandigram. Also the police forces stationed in the area at present will be withdrawn in phases,'' Left Front Committee Chairman Biman Basu told a crowded press conference after the two-and-a-half hour meeting.

Today's meeting was an extension of the one held on March 15 that ended inconclusively with the Forward Bloc, RSP and CPI raising a storm over the Nandigram police firing in which at least 14 people, including women, were killed and 71 injured.

In an attempt to build up pressure on the ''big brother'' CPI(M) to accord respect to them in decision making, the three partners prepared a five-point charter at a conclave late last evening and threatened to quit the Ministry if the demands were not met.

The demands included that no land should be acquired, police must be withdrawn and partners must be consulted before all important decisions--all of which were accepted in today's meeting.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and CPI(M) patriarch Jyoti Basu were among the representatives of all Front partners present at the meeting which perhaps, turned out to be most crucial in the history of the 30-year rule of the Front Government.

With the CPI(M) alone enjoying more than absolute majority in the 294-member state Assembly, the Front Government, however, would not have faced any danger in the event of a pullout by the three partners. But it would certainly have torn apart the long-nurtured left unity that could have ramifications in national politics.

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