Home India Politics CPI-M says it is not a one-man party

CPI-M says it is not a one-man party

By IANS,

Kolkata : Rubbishing Trinamool Congress claim that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is shying away from campaigning in north Bengal as he is not confident about his victory in Jadavpur constituency, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Wednesday said it is not a one-man party.

“The CPI-M is not a one-man party like Trinamool Congress. She (Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee) is moving around in north Bengal in helicopter. In north Bengal, CPI-M state secretary and Left Front chairman Biman Bose, CPI-M politburo member Brinda Karat and other senior leaders are campaigning,” said Mohammed Salim, a CPI-M central committee member.

Several questions have been raised over Bhattacharjee confining himself to his Jadavpur constituency where he has been holding road shows and rallies.

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, who is not contesting the polls, is holding a whirlwind campaign in north Bengal.

“We don’t want to copy from others. What she is doing now, Buddhada (Buddhadeb) has done in December and January. He is only going by our party decision that each candidate should reach out to every corner of his constituency,” said Salim.

Banerjee earlier mocked Bhattacharjee’s extensive campaign in his own constituency as an indication that the CPI-M was not confident of the chief minister regaining his constituency from where he has been winning since 1987.

Bhattacharjee will be taking on Trinamool Congress candidate Manish Gupta in Jadavpur. Gupta had earlier served as chief secretary under Bhattacharjee.

The six-phase polls for the 294-seat West Bengal assembly will be held between April 18 and May 10. Counting of votes will be held May 13.