Mamata launches new Front to fight Buddha

Kolkata, Dec 30 (UNI) Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today vowed to fight the Chief Minister Buddadeb Bhattacharjee led Left Front Government in the state, and welcomed all the secular forces to join hands to uproot the CPI(M) from West Bengal, saying the party had brought shame upon the state in the Nandigram carnage.

With the Panchayat elections in West Bengal scheduled for May 2008, Ms Banerjee announced the formation of Progressive Secular Democratic Front (PSDF) with 16 political parties. But the fact remains that none of the outfit other than her party has a political presence here.

Besides Trinamool Congress, the Samajwadi Party Janata Dal (United), Janata Dal (Secular), Indian Union Muslim League, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) among others form the Front. Some small communist parties are also part of the Front.

She also ruled out any dialogue with the Chief Minister over Nandigram issue.

''I readily accepted an invitation from former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu for discussing issues because of my respect for him as a politician. He had also the wisdom to understand the essence of the problem. He agreed that the land of the unwilling farmers for the Tata Motor's project should be returned,'' she had said.

''Some parties don't believe in taking part in the people's struggles year long but go for local alliances when it comes to grabbing power in municipalities or boards. I make it clear that now onwards one has to negotiate with PSDF before entering into any such local adjustments,'' Ms Banerjee said, making a dig at the Congress without naming the party.

''We don't approve of any selfish politics,'' she said.

The BJP has been kept outside Mamata's Front since the Trinamool is eyeing the huge Muslim votes in West Bengal, especially after the recent anger of the minority community against the ruling communists over Nandigram, Taslima Nasreen issue and Rizwanur Rahman case.

She reiterated her party's decision to fight for the farmers of Singur, Nandigram, and any other places from where they forcibly evicted.

''We are for the people and we will fight to restore the democratic rights of people now usurped by the CPI-M,'' she said.

UNI