Mamata out of Nandi meet

BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Kolkata

Aug. 8: The Trinamul Congress will boycott the all-party meeting which chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has convened on Saturday in Tamluk in East Medinipur to find a way to end the ongoing violence and bring back peace in embattled Nandigram.

In the fresh outbreak of violence, two CPI(M) leaders were gunned down in the past two days in Nandigram. Political observers pointed out that it was the Trinamul Congress-led Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee which was clashing with the CPI(M) and when one of the two warring groups would not attend, the all-party meeting would be a non-starter.

Ironically, both chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will be in East Medinipur on Saturday. But while the chief minister is going there for the all-party meeting, she will address a public rally at Sutahata near Haldia. Ms Banerjee said that her party had not received any invitation.

Veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu welcomed Ms Banerjee’s willingness to hold talks with the Tatas. He said, "It is a good sign that she is ready for talks with the Tata Motors. I welcome her gesture... At this point we can not afford to let the Tatas leave the state."

Meanwhile, the spectre of 2007 revisited Nandigram as the trouble-torn land witnessed yet another day of violence. However, no lives were claimed on Friday. There were reports of cross firing between both the warring parties at Mandalpara, Sonachura and Gorchakraberia since Friday morning. It was not before the afternoon that the police force could enter the troubled areas and negotiate between the two opposing fronts.