Congress urges Mamata to join hands for anti-Left stir

KOLKATA - After days of bad blood with the Trinamool Congress, the Congress’ West Bengal unit Friday urged it to join hands to launch a movement against the “state-sponsored terrorism” perpetrated by the ruling Left Front.

“Trinamool is the largest opposition party in the state. We are the second largest. Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and the Congress should come together to launch a joint protest against the state-sponsored terrorism,” Pradesh Congress president Manas Bhunia told media persons here.

He alleged that over 52,000 people have been killed in the state during the 33-year rule of the Left Front. “Of them, 30,000 deaths took place under former chief minister Jyoti Basu and 22,633 under incumbent Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee”.

Referring to the death of a student in alleged police firing in Malda, he said: “The government is using the police as a killing machine. The police is hand in glove with gangsters in carrying out the killings.”

Bhunia said the Congress has planned a continuous statewide agitation, from January, to protest against the inefficiency of the administration, and involving blockade of administrative offices in the various districts.

To a question on possible seat sharing with the Trinamool in the coming Assembly polls, he said: “All my sitting MLAs (legislators) should get nominated. I will make a strong recommendation in this regard”.