Prime minister Manmohan Singh’s statements on “overall failure” of the Left Front government in West Bengal was prompted by the compulsion of alliance politics, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Sunday.
“I am surprised by what he said on Saturday. I do not understand what prompted him to think that the Left Front government was not functioning. Earlier, whenever I met him, he always used to enquire about the progress in areas of land distribution, new investment and new industries in West Bengal. I understand that he has come for election campaign on behalf of his own party and its alliance and probably that is why he had to say such things,” Bhattacharjee said.
Asked why such a negative assessment has come from a prime minister who once described Bhattacharjee as the “best chief minister of India,” Bhattacharjee said, “Only the prime minister himself can explain what he said and as far as my behaviour is concerned, it will be judged by none else other than the people of West Bengal”.
He also rubbished claims that the condition of the Muslims in Gujarat is better than their counterparts in West Bengal.
{{/usCountry}}He also rubbished claims that the condition of the Muslims in Gujarat is better than their counterparts in West Bengal.
{{/usCountry}}“I do not know on what basis the Prime Minister made such an assessment and comment. Be it financial or social security, the condition of the Muslims in West Bengal is far better than what it is in any other state. No one will believe that condition of the Muslims in Gujarat are better than their counterparts in West Bengal,” he said.
On the contrary, the chief minister said, the prime minister was extremely unhappy over what happened in Singur or over the delay in the beginning of the dedicated railways freight corridor. “I know that he is extremely unhappy about such issues. But probably because of his compulsions, he had to made such statements on Saturday,” Bhattacharjee said.
Commenting on the issue of expelled party leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee coming for campaigning for CPI(M) leaders, Bhattacharjee said Chatterjee’s decision to come for campaign is of extreme importance for the party. “I am happy that he is coming to campaign,” he said.
Asked about the poll prospects of Left Front in the elections, Bhattacharjee said that he was confident that the eighth Left Front will come to power with a comfortable majority.