Buddhadeb Bhattacharya flags off LF's long march from Singur to Salboni

Just ahead of the assembly election, Left Front has commenced its rally from Singur where Tata Motors' small car (Nano) factory had to be aborted midway due to the movement by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.

The march will conclude in West Midnapore district's Salboni area where the foundation stone of JSW group's steel plant was laid by Buddhadeb Bhattacharya in the CPI-M era but the project did not come into reality.

Slamming the Mamata Banerjee-led government over agriculture issue, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said, "During the Left Front era, West Bengal was pioneer in agriculture but the current government has destroyed its status. We will once again restore its status if come to power."

Condemning of Mamata Banerjee's Singur movement, former chief minister addressed, "If Tata Motors' factory established here, the scenario of Singur would be changed completely. We tried to do that and will do again, following the same way."

Attacking the TMC ruled WB government over industrialization and employment issue, he said, "No industry has been established here and there are no employment too in Bengal. The state is passing through a black time. TMC government has converted the state into a heck. It should not be continued."

Remembering Left's famous slogan which brought the huge victory in 2006's assembly election- "Agriculture is our base and industries are our future"- Bhattacharya on Saturday said, "Only agricultural development will not ensure work for all that is why we need industrialization here and we are committed to do so."

Besides Bhattacharya, WB LF's chairman Biman Basu said, "We don't want turmoil in the state, we want and are demanding for development, which has been completely stopped."

Meanwhile, mocking the Left's mega rally, TMC Secretary General Partha Chaterjee said, "After destroying the industrial atmosphere in the state for 34 years, they are talking about industrialization and all. We don't believe in their ideology of industrialisation and people of Bengal don't trust them.

However, the long march, which will cover more than 190 km., will conclude at Salboni on Jan 22.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha, Image: IBNS)