National

Mamata calls for a new political alternative

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee called on “secular and democratic parties” here on Friday to rally together and form an anti-Communist Party of India (Marxist) “front” that will be “a political alternative” in West Bengal.

If there was any objection to her party leading the front, then it was willing to accept any other leadership and would be content being a constituent, Ms. Banerjee said.

She demanded the government’s “immediate dismissal” over the recent violence in Nandigram and said that she would be calling on Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Saturday to place her demand.

Asked whether the Bharatiya Janata Party would be a part of the proposed front, she said that “it will comprise only secular parties.”

Her appeal for a new “political alternative” appeared to be directed at the non-CPI(M) Left Front constituents, some of whom had been critical of the CPI(M)’s role in the recent Nandigram developments.

It may be recalled that the State Congress leadership had earlier given a call for the setting up of a “secular democratic front” and urged the Trinamool Congress to join after severing ties with the BJP.

Ms. Banerjee welcomed the Calcutta High Court’s Friday’s ruling on the March 14 police firing and subsequent violence in the Nandigram area. The court termed it as “unconstitutional”.

“In the wake of the ruling and the Governor’s recent comments on the developments in Nandigram, the State government has no moral, Constitutional and political right to continue in power.”

She announced a series of agitations by her party in the days to come in support of the demand for dismissal of the State government. “I am again requesting the Centre to pay its role and take proper action” in West Bengal, she added.

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