Mamata-Buddhadeb talks collapse at second meeting

Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee today spurned a new proposal placed by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, which entailed giving 70 acres inside the Tata Motors factory site.

The chief minister with his team comprising West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) Managing Director Subrata Gupta, State Housing Minister Gautam Deb and Commerce and Industry Secretary Sabysachi Sen met Banerjee, who was accompanied by Krishi Jami Raksha Committee Convenor Becharam Manna, Krishi Jami Jibon and Jibika Committee Convenor Purnendu Bose and leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee.

After a meeting, which lasted a little more than an hour, Banerjee stormed out with her team. She later addressed the press at her residence and said that she had rejected the state government's proposal but was ready to hold more discussions.

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee with his team discussed the issue for another hour but refused to comment on the meeting.

Earlier in the day, the land committee met, where the West Bengal government representatives placed a new proposal to the Opposition led by the Trinamool Congress.

Earlier, after its third land committee meeting today, Subrata Gupta said that a proposal more acceptable to the opposition had been placed and it obviously meant giving more than 40 acres from the project site.

Mamata Banerjee had demanded 300 acres from the project site. The alternative proposal has some kind of positive response from Tata Motors.

Responding to queries from mediapersons, Gupta said that he had got feedback from Tata Motors’ side as well, which was conveyed to the other committee members from the opposition side.

Immediately after the meeting, state government officials and Commerce and Industry Minister Nirupam Sen were locked in an emergency meeting, while Bhattacharjee and Manna headed to discuss the proposals with Mamata Banerjee.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the committee meeting was positive and a decision would be taken after discussions with Mamata Banerjee.

The four-member committee set up under the aegis of West Bengal Governor Gopal Gandhi comprises Subrata Gupta, Hooghly District Magistrate Neelam Meena from the government side, Trinamool Congress MLA Rabindranath Bhattacharjee and Becharam Manna.

The 40 acres was understood to be part of the 41.11 acres held by WBIDC. WBIDC had the land at Singur earmarked for rehabilitation of project-affected families.

According to the agreement between the West Bengal government and the agitating farmers represented by the Trinamool Congress, the report was supposed to be tabled on September 15 but Rabindranath Bhattacharjee indicated yesterday that they could seek more time.

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