Rivals sing same tune on BJP - Modi government a biggest danger in country, says CPM leader

TT,Calcutta, Nov. 7: Political arch-rivals in Bengal seem to be having converging views when it comes to the BJP and its growing presence.

Former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today hit out at the BJP and its "communal'' politics and described it as the "biggest danger in the country", in a manner Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamul leadership have been doing over the past few weeks.

Addressing a gathering at Promode Dasgupta Bhavan to observe the 50th year of the CPM, Bhattacharjee said: "The biggest danger in this country now is the Narendra Modi government and the BJP. We are into difficult times now. The BJP, with the backing of RSS, will try to foment communal trouble across Bengal. This party cannot be trusted....''

The CPM politburo member added: "Riots occurred in Gujarat. But don't think that it cannot happen in Bengal. If the BJP gets stronger here, there is every possibility of disharmony between two communities.''

At a meeting in Pailan in South 24-Parganas on Wednesday, the chief minister had made a similar attack on the BJP, accusing it of creating trouble in the state by bringing in outsiders.

"The BJP is misusing power and using CPM harmads to create trouble in Bengal. Outsiders are being brought here. There have been several attempts in recent weeks to create disturbance. Our administration has quelled them with a firm hand," Mamata had said while addressing a district Trinamul workers' conference in Pailan.

Bhattacharjee, in almost all public meetings, comes down heavily on Trinamul, accusing it of being "semi-fascist''.

Yesterday, the former chief minister did not use a single word on the ruling party, but chose to concentrate on the BJP in his 20-minute address.

The BJP, whose vote share in the Lok Sabha polls rose from six to around 17 per cent this year, sliced away a major part of the Left vote bank. Since the general election, CPM activists and supporters in the districts have been deserting the party and joining the BJP in hordes.

Realising the swiftness with which the BJP has been eating into the Left support base, the former chief minister yesterday appealed to the gathering to show "grit and courage'' and not yield to any luring by Narendra Modi's party.

" Aneke bolchhen, baam naki ram hoye gechhe. Eta konodino hobe na. Bam maane mehenati manush, bam maaner sramik-krishak. Eta kakhono paltabe na... (Many are saying that the Left space has now been usurped by Ram (BJP). This will never happen. Left means toiling people, workers and farmers. This will never change),'' Bhattacharjee said.

CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, whose speech preceded Bhatttacharjee's, also took a dig at the BJP. "The BJP is a mix of big corporates and the RSS. That is the big danger for our country. On one hand, it is doing large-scale privatisation. On the other, the party is fuelling communal trouble. We must resist this,'' Karat said.

State conference

A four-day CPM state conference will begin on March 9 next year in Calcutta.

As a kick-off to the state conference, the party has decided to hold a rally at Brigade Parade grounds on March 8 to cheer up demoralised party workers, it was learnt. After the state conference, CPM delegates will participate in the 21st party congress in Vishakapatnam in April next year.