For the last two years since the Tatas dumped the Nano compound in Singur, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has never been to this area. On January 9, however, the CM will revisit the place, possibly with a New Year message.
The occasion is a routine meeting of the Hooghly CPM, but Bhattacharjee’s presence is likely to add a new dimension to the gathering, kicking off political speculation over whether the CM is going to announce anything special.
CPM leaders in the district do not expect the CM to announce a fresh industrial package after Tata Motors categorically stated in a recent communication that the company didn’t have any immediate plans for a return to Singur. And the scene in Bengal after the Singur and Nandigram episodes has deteriorated from bad to worse, with the bitter political rivals CPM and Trinamool Congress taking to the streets to queer the state’s development pitch, whether it is industry, township or a railway project, as evident from the recent developments in Rajarhat, Sankrail and Haldia.
The chief minister is likely to take this opportunity to go back to the farmers of Singur, most of whom went with Trinamool Congress during the 2008 panchayat polls and the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, and appeal to the unwilling farmers to review their stand in support of industrialization, and appeal for peace as the key to bringing about development. CPM insiders believe that the CM might also appeal for a political consensus on the land question that had earlier failed to evoke any response from the main opposition, Trinamool.
"The Hooghly CPM has been pursuing the dream for industry along with agriculture since long. It is the Trinamool Congress that is creating disruption all over the state following the Singur episode. The CM is trying to bring back Bengal on the industrial track despite the hurdles. He wants farmers to revive the dream," said CPM district secretariat member Anil Basu. CPM state secretary Biman Bose will also be present at the meet.
Leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly Partha Chatterjee, however, ruled out any such possibility on the land question. "The CM has already got a rebuff from farmers in Singur. His bid to forcibly acquire land from farmers led to widespread resentment. The CM did not have the courtesy to honour the land-sharing formula arrived at Raj Bhavan in presence of the governor. What does he expect from us?" Chatterjee said.