By IANS,
Kolkata : The Left parties’ decision to withdraw support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government would have no bearing on the state’s industrial prospects, say business barons and chambers in the Left citadel of West Bengal.
SREI Infrastructure Finance Ltd chairman-cum-managing director Hemant Kanoria told IANS that industry always wanted stability in government.
But he said he was not surprised at the development.
“This was expected for the last three or four months. The way the Congress and the Left were moving, at one point this was bound to happen,” Kanoria said.
“But speaking from the point of view of industry and economy, it is always better if there is stability,” he said.
Kanoria also did not think there would be early elections.
“We have to watch what happens in the next few days. If an election does take place, what will you do? But it would have been better if there was continuity”.
Indian Chamber of Commerce eastern region secretary general Rajiv Singh too felt the changed scenario at the centre would not affect West Bengal’s industrial sector.
“In the Indian system, it does not matter whether the ruling party in the state supports the central government or not,” Singh said.
“For instance, Gujarat is doing well, though the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party that is in power in that state) is not a part of the central government.”
Singh also did not think that there would be elections right now.
Merchants Chamber of Commerce president Anupam Shah said with the state having a stable government, there is no reason for the industry to be apprehensive.
“Whoever rules the country, we will have a coalition government. I don’t think the decision is going to affect the state’s business as long as we have a stable government at the state,” he said.
Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry president K.K. Navada felt the same way. “Show me one thing that has happened in West Bengal because of the Left support to the UPA”.
However, Navada felt the withdrawal of support augurs well for the country, as a group of minority MPs was “holding the government to ransom so long”.
“They (the Left) had stalled a number of bills. Also, the reforms agenda can now be pushed through. Now, for the first time the government is showing they are acting. So far, they were only reacting,” he added.