Left did not protect interest of peasants: Sonia Gandhi

The Congress president Sonia Gandhi came today to Nalhati to give her endorsement to his party's candidate Abhijit Mukherjee. Nalhati, located on the northern fringe area of Birbhum district, is otherwise a much backward area, has become important in this assembly election as union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee's son Abhijit is contesting from this constituency. So much so that Sonia Gandhi today came to address a rally here. In her 10 minute speech Sonia attacked the ruling Left Front for not being able to fulfil the peoples' dream. Perhaps keeping in mind the bitter inter party quarrel in neighbouring Murshidabad, Sonia also stressed the need for upholding the unity of the alliance between the Congress and the TMC to defeat the Left in the state.

Pranab Mukherjee, who has already held several public meetings and road shows here to campaign for his son. The Congress leaders also tried to bring Mamata today along with Sonia. But she could not come as she was busy campaigning in North 24 Parganas. However, she also lent her support to Abhijit when she campaigned in Birbhum two days back. In Murarai, while campaigning for her party's candidate retd. justice Nure Alam Chowdhury. Mamata introduced Abhijit to the people as the candidate of the alliance and appealed to the voters to support him. Though, it was in neighbouring Murarai, not in Nalhati, but the message was clear: she also endorses the candidature of Pranab's son Abhijit.

Today, Sonia's meeting ground was plastered with a poster that appealed to the voters of Nalhati saying that Abhijit should be supported for the development of the area.

Truly, the entire area has been neglected for years. In Nalhati alone, at least 42, 000 people are engaged in legal and illegal stone quarries. The agriculture is also weak because of lack of irrigation. Today, in her speech Sonia reminded the voters that in the last 34 years the ruling Left Front failed to meet the aspirations of the people. "There are lakhs of unemployed youth in the state. many people have died as a result of the Left inflicted violence," Sonia observed.

Making a tacit reference to Singur-Nandigram, Sonia said, "The Left did not protect the interest of the peasants in the state." She also reminded the people that the UPA government has been giving thousands of crores of rupees to West Bengal to implement all kind of pro-people programmes but "unfortunately the Left Front government could not make proper utilisation of these funds," she commented.