Tata expresses willingness to talk on Singur

Amid uncertainty over the Tata Motors small car project at Singur, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said Ratan Tata has replied to his letter expressing willingness to talk to him.

"Today Ratan Tata has replied to my letter (of yesterday) and expressed his willingness to talk to me and I told him I would hold discussion with him," Bhattacharjee told a rally of CPI(M) student wing SFI here.

Bhattacharjee had yesterday written to Ratan Tata requesting him to restart work at the Singur plant.

He said he had informed Ratan Tata that he fully appreciated the problem he was experiencing in setting up the 'Nano' car plant.

"I told Tata that he should ponder that this will not only be an automobile industry for the state, but will usher in industrial resurgence," the Chief Minister said.

Stating that his government was trying hard to keep the Tata project at Singur in the face of severe resistance by the opposition, Bhattacharjee said, "If the Tatas leave, the opposition will be solely responsible."