E-Paper
Red 'B' in capital letter
Meet the neo-Red. The one, whose colour scheme changes to suit the needs of time, writes Aloke Banerjee.
The times they are a changin'… Communists are becoming "Capitalists" in action. Meet the neo-Red. The one, whose colour scheme changes to suit the needs of time.
"I am not practising Socialism. I am practising Capitalism," comes the honest confession from none other than West Bengal chief minister and CPI(M) politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
On Wednesday, the chief minister showed his "true colours" at the Kolkata Press Club. "I can't practise socialism even if I want to. I am just trying to ensure that workers get some relief," he explained. Makes perfect sense with the polls barely five days away.
Why this ideological deviation? He took pains to come up with a logical explanation.
"Earlier, we were in the Opposition. We did what we had to do then. Now I have to get investment and can't drive out the capitalists. We can't afford to protest in such a manner that factories shut down. So, I am insisting on a harmonious relationship between workers and management," reasons Buddha.
Some logic. Spurred by confidence that he would warm the hot seat again.
When reminded of the voices of opposition within to the Salim venture, he shot back, "Those who oppose the Salim projects are crazy. There will be more of such projects."
Posers flew like bullets. Would he look after the party and the government even after Biman Bose's appointment as the state secretary, Buddha said, "Anil's absence has created a void. Now we will run the party jointly. This process will continue even after the polls."
The UPA need not fear too. Buddha is against rocking the boat in Delhi.
