Jamait-e-Ulema seeks more power in state

Haldia, June 17 (UNI) Jamait-e-Ulema intends to make its presence felt in the state, fielding several candidates in the forthcoming Haldia Municipal Elections, slated for July 22.

Party leader Saiffuddin Chowdhary today said they intended to field eight to 10 candidates for the forthcoming Municipal elections.

Addressing a public meeting at Brajalalchak near here this afternoon, he said that they knew the Congress and AITC would jointly put up candidates against the CPI(M) in this election.

''We would want they grant us at least eight to 10 seats out of a total 26. If they refuse then, we would contest the 26 seats.'' Amid huge applause in the meeting attended mainly by the members of the minority community, Mr Chowdhary came down heavily on the CPI(M) in the state for bringing Shahi Imam Bukhari from Delhi to ''preach'' in Nandigram.

He further said Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was to be blamed more than Bukhari in this case.

''Members of the minority community in this state will decide on their fate and not be dictated by Delhi. That day is not far off when the CPI(M) will be forced to invite the Imam-e-Kaaba from Mecca for damage control in this state.'' he claimed.

Mr Chowdhary noted that 42 per cent of the electorate were members of the minority community and Anti-CPM teribals, were also added to that number. ''Taken together, they can tilt the balance against the ruling party,'' he added.

Criticising the CPI(M) for their role in Nandigram, he said it was their ''sponsored civil war and communalism'' that triggered the menace.

For ''communalism in the party'', he mentioned that no member of the minority community had found a place in their politburo.

UNI