Left sees hidden agenda in Modi-Mamata one-on-one

Kolkata, April 10 (IANS) Taking a dig at the one-on-one between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Left Front Charman Biman Bose on Monday said she is busy saving her own party from the onslaught of the centre.

"She has clearly understood that she needs to save the garden first in order to save the flowers. Many new flowers may bloom in the garden in future, but if the garden itself is gone, then she would be nowhere," Bose said, apparently alluding to the recent rift between her Trinamool Congress government and central governments over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the chit fund scam.

While a number of Trinamool leaders have been arrested or questioned by the CBI in the chit fund cases, recently the agency has also been entrusted with the probe into the Narada sting footage case in which some Trinamool heavyweights were purportedly seen taking wads of currency notes in return for allegedly doling out favours to a fictitious company.

Bose's comments came hours after the 20-minute meeting between the two leaders in New Delhi.

"There are many sides to the Chief Minister's one-on-one meeting with the Prime Minister. While it was decided how the secret understanding between the Trinamool and BJP will progress in future, Banerjee also pleaded that she and her party leaders tainted in Sarada and Narada scam be spared," he said addressing a press conference at the CPI-M state headquarters here.

The veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist leader claimed that Banerjee, who was accompanied by Minister and Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee who was purportedly seen taking money in Narada sting tapes, sought to save him from the ambit of investigation.

"The Chief Minister was accompanied by the city Mayor in Delhi. She also took him to the lunch yesterday. It's obvious that an action plan would be prepared to save him from being convicted for his crime," he alleged.

Also criticising the state government for not announcing the schedule of upcoming civic polls in the state, Bose said the ruling party has scant regard for democratic rights and customs.

He also rued that the election that was supposed to get over by June next year has been kept pending in the interest of the state government.

"While the election is scheduled to be held on May 14, the election schedule hasn't yet been announced by the state government. What we have heard is that Chief Minister Mamatas Banerjee has some pre-scheduled events left that would be completed by April 12. The schedule will be announced after that. What is this?" Bose said.

"The state government has no faith in democracy. They are always eager to snatch away the democratic rights of the people and belittle the the democratic tradition of the state," he alleged.