Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is “suffering from the hangover of being an Opposition leader,” said Debabrata Biswas, general secretary of the All India Forward Bloc, here on Sunday.
Speaking to journalists after the conclusion of the three-day meeting of the Central Committee of the party where the situation in West Bengal was reviewed, Mr. Biswas said: “Even today she (Ms. Banerjee) has only promises, protests and street shows to offer to the people.”
“There is no alternative plan for development, neither in agriculture nor in industry…Other than a few grand announcements, nothing ha been done in the field of education or health,” he said.
However, Mr. Biswas said that after the Left was in power for a long period, a new government has been elected and “there is a need to give this government time” adding that as an Opposition, “we do not want to be an obstruction, we want to be a facilitator.”
17{+t}{+h}Party Congress
He said that it had been decided at the meeting that the party’s 17{+t}{+h}Party Congress will be organised in Chennai between February 24 and 28 next year. He said that about 1,000 delegates from across States will attend and the schedule for the State conferences, which will all be concluded before January next year, has been decided.
Describing the situation in Assam as “a man-made crisis,” Mr. Biswas said that despite setting up regional autonomous councils, the underlying issues have not been resolved.
“This is a matter of shame,” he said, adding that a three-member delegation from the party will visit the camps, meet Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and other groups in the State.
After a report is prepared, representatives from the party will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is also an MP from Assam, to demand for rehabilitation of those who have been forced to leave and compensation for the victims, he said.
Mr. Biswas also said that the Centre’s move to provide mobile phones to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families is “a cruel joke” because the initiative may benefit corporates but will not alleviate poverty.
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