Sonia calls Left dictatorial

Statesman News Service

LALGOLA/SAMSI/ISLAMPUR, April 27: Sharing the dais with Trinamool chief Miss Mamata Banerjee for the first time in eight years, Congress president Mrs Sonia Gandhi today attacked the Left Front government for running a “dictatorship” in West Bengal and failing to tackle poverty during its 32-year rule.

The UPA chairperson, campaigning for external affairs minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee at Lalgola, a small settlement in Jangipur Lok Sabha constituency, said the Left Front government had created conditions for anarchy to prevail in the state. “In the name of democracy, the CPI-M has perpetrated dictatorship in the state... committing atrocities on political opponents and depriving the people of their legitimate rights,” she alleged.

Attacking the government over its handling of the Singur and Nandigram land-related controversies, she said, “People there had to face government-sponsored violence and those who lost their land got a thrashing from the state government."

She said the Left Front government has failed to provide basic amenities to the people in the rural areas. “Had CPI-M's policies been proper, people would not be so poor in West Bengal in 32 years,” she said.

Miss Mamata Banerjee, who gave the warcry, “Bury the CPI-M in the polls ” also slammed the state government on several issues, including poverty, women trafficking and unemployment. Mr. Pranab Mukherjee said the Left Front government has not done anything to implement the NREGA scheme. “Does the Left government have a reply as to why daily wagers were given for only 22 days’ works on average out of 100 work-days under the job guarantee scheme? Implementation of employment guarantee scheme is far better in other states,” he said.

Later, addressing another election rally at Samsi, in North Malda constituency, Mrs Gandhi promised to implement the Sachar Committee recommendations for the minority community if the Congress returns to power.

Continuing her attack on the LF government, Mrs Gandhi said: “The Central government had formulated many programmes for the poor and the farmers since 2004 but the Left Front always opposed those. The West Bengal government failed to issue job cards for the poor people and failed to provide employment under the NREGA schemes.”

She also took a dig at the Third Front and the race for the Prime Minister's slot among a section of leaders. “They do not have the vision or aim to serve the people. All they want is power, which is why there is a race among many of the proposed Third Front leaders for the Prime Minister's post,” she stated.

Mrs Gandhi followed up her Malda rally with another at Islampur in North Dinajpur district for the Raiganj Congress candidate Mrs Deepa Das Munshi.