Tense CPI(M) Politburo tells state unit to restore order...

NANDIGRAM TURMOIL

Reeling under intense political pressure over violence in Nandigram, a worried CPI(M) central leadership today asked its West Bengal unit to immediately restore administration and peace in the area.

It also asked the unit to patch up with the Left allies, who are furious with the way the CPI(M) is handling the situation.

At the party's Politburo meeting in New Delhi today, Nandigram was the first issue taken up for discussion.

Significantly, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee did not attend the meeting and the other leader from the state, Biman Bose, left for Kolkata soon after the discussion on Nandigram was over.

Bose said the state unit submitted a detailed report on violence in Nandigram. Although the central leadership is unlikely to criticise the state administration publicly, there were clear signals that it is extremely worried over the situation.

According to party sources, almost all leaders (except Bose) said there was a need to take urgent steps to restore administration in Nandigram, termed as a "war-zone" by the governor.

The central leadership said the fact that Nandigram was out of administrative control for the last so many months could not be accepted. The Politburo also asked the state unit to call a meeting with other Left parties in view of the growing resentment among the party's smaller allies.

While the CPI(M) is desperate to control the damage, the allies are fuming over its high-handed attitude. Forward Block General Secretary Debabrat Biswas, considered close to CPI(M) Politburo member Prakash Karat, said, "Two parties are responsible for the situation "" Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M). We have more than 60 MPs in Delhi and behave as if we are the government. But if things go on like this in Bengal, the Left won't survive in Delhi."

The Indo-US nuclear deal also came up for discussion. The Politburo is likely to endorse the stand taken by Karat that the government can't go for talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) before Parliament discusses the matter. Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said other matters, like the situation in Pakistan and preparations for the party congress, were also on the agenda.