Good chances of Mamata becoming Bengal chief minister: Dikshit

KOLKATA - Describing the political violence in West Bengal as “saddening” and not “acceptable”, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Sunday claimed that the Left Front government has seemingly “lost control” and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee had a “good chance” of winning power in the upcoming assembly poll.

Condemning the killings, especially the deaths of seven villagers in firing at Netai village two days back, Dikshit said people would never condone the violence.

“I strongly condemn the killings. The bloodbath is saddening and not acceptable. The people will never condone the killings,” she said blaming the state’s ruling Left front major Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) for the violence.

“The government seems to have lost control. There is something terribly wrong in the system”, Dikshit told media persons on the sidelines of the gold jubilee celebrations of the Indian Institute of Management here.

On the issue of the Maoist menace, the chief minister said: “Both the central and the state governments need to work in tandem. The central government is willing to help the state and there has been constant endeavour in this regard”.

Along with tough measures there is need to talk to the people to reach the root of the problem, she said.

Taking a dig at the Left Front Government, Dikshit said: “When the Naxalite (Maoist) movement spread in West Bengal (in the 1960s and the 1970s) the then Congress government dealt with it efficiently”.

Praising Railway Minister Banerjee, the principal opposition leader in the state, Dikshit said she had a “very good chance” of becoming the next chief minister of West Bengal.

“She is a great fighter and a very good speaker. She has been fighting for the cause of the people and is the voice of the masses”.

West Bengal is slated to go to the hustings later this year.