Basu warns front partners against disintegration

Kolkata, July 15 (UNI) Admitting that there were differences within the Left Front, veteran marxist leader Jyoti Basu today warned the partners that those thinking of a break-up from the ruling coalition will be washed away.

''If any partner thinks of breaking away from the Left Front it will be washed away,'' he said while addressing a function at a town hall organised by KMC to accord civic reception on him for his contribution to politics.

His comment came amid continued dissent from smaller left front constituents like Forward Bloc, RSP and the CPI over the issue of land acquisition for industry and the happenings at Nandigram and Singur.

''Of late we are facing some differences of opinion among ourselves but these have to be resolved. The front unity should be strengthened,'' he said.

Mr Basu said that the West Bengal government was not run by the CPI (M), but it was a government of the left front.

Alleging that the opposition in the state was not responsible, the nonagenarian CPI(M) patriarch said they should extend co-operation to the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government for all the 'good work' being done.

'' We do not have a responsible opposition. They do not seem to be cooperative with the government despite the Chief Minister doing so many good jobs,'' he said.

Refering to the visit of Mamata Banerjee to his house last month to talk over the Nandigram and Singur issues, Mr Basu said he had asked the Trinamool Congress supremo to hold dialogues with the Chief Minister but she was not willing to do that.

Going back to the past, he said, when the Left parties were in the opposition during the Chief Ministership of Dr B C Ray, they used to extend cooperation to the Congress government in certain areas, which the present opposition was not doing.

State Assembly Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim, Left Front Chairman Biman Basu, City Mayor Bikash Bhattacharjee, Forward Bloc State Secretary Ashoke Ghose and former Finance Minister Ashok Mitra were among others, present at the reception.

UNI