Benoy Konar

Calcutta, Oct. 28: Peace is eluding Nandigram because the CPM is desperate to regain its stronghold and Trinamul and its allies want to hold onto their liberated zone with an eye on panchayat polls 2008.

The CPM state brass today suggested that the party renewed its attack on Opposition-controlled Nandigram from Khejuri as its was worried of losing ground further before the polls.

“The media get worried about the (Nandigram) violence only when we put up resistance to Trinamul attacks. But we have been on retreat since the trouble began and they have made inroads in 11 village panchayats. It had only two initially,’’ state secretariat member Benoy Konar said. “If we don’t stop them, they will occupy Khejuri. We can’t allow them to widen their liberated zone anymore.”

The offensive came when the government was trying to soften the Opposition by agreeing to pay compensation to the families of those killed during the police action on March 14.

The CPM leadership, too, is apparently ready to strike a “deal”. “The government will not acquire land for industry in Nandigram or proceed with cases against Opposition leaders if they promise peace and ensure the safety of our supporters,” Konar said.

The CPM leader refused to see any discrepancy between the party’s “resistance” and the offer. “Either the police should restore law and order or the people will assert their right to resist.”

Another CPM secretariat member, Citu leader Shayamal Chakraborty, warned the Trinamul chief against “misreading” the compensation offer. “The government and the party offered compensation to ensure peace. But Mamata Banerjee and her allies misread it as our weakness and incited fresh violence on Saturday.”

Trinamul blamed the CPM’s Haldia strongman, Tamluk MP Lakhsman Seth, for the violence. “He incited CPM supporters to take up arms during a conference in Khejuri on Tuesday. Several police camps were withdrawn from the Nandigram-Khejuri border after that to facilitate the attack,’’ said Egra MLA Sishir Adhikary.

Sishir is Seth’s rival in this war of political supremacy and sets his terms for peace.

“The security of those living is far more important than compensation for the dead. The CPM must stop attacks from Khejuri. We are determined to foil its efforts to reoccupy Nandigram,” he said.

Local observers say Seth and Sishir are equally ruthless and resourceful.

Sishir has the support of son Subhendu, the Trinamul MLA Contai (South), who took on Seth in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Tamluk.

Seth needs Nandigram to ensure victory the next time. The Adhikarys need Khejuri to dent his might.

The CPM today got crucial support from its allies, who had played Mamata’s agony uncle after the March 14 police firing. Forward Bloc leader Ashok Ghosh, whose effort to negotiate peace with Mamata had failed, spoke to chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and CPM state secretary Biman Bose to urge them to “bring back peace at any cost”.