New Delhi, May 30: Prakash Karat today admitted that “apprehensions about land acquisition” had an impact on the Bengal panchayat elections and said industrialisation plans should factor this in.

“The apprehensions about land acquisition which has led to loss of support in some areas must be removed. The plan for industrialisation must take this into account,” the CPM general secretary said after the central committee meeting.

Karat said the state unit would undertake “a detailed examination of the results” and devise ways to address the issue. Asked about the impact of the panchayat results on industrialisation, he said: “The state industries minister has already talked about it.” Nirupam Sen had said yesterday there would be no land acquisition without consensus now.

“There have been some setbacks for the CPI(M) and the Left Front in certain districts and areas. The West Bengal state committee will be undertaking a detailed examination of the results and making a review,” a party statement said.

“Proper lessons must be drawn from the reversal suffered in certain areas. The disunity in the Left Front should be overcome.”

Karat growls at govt

Karat warned the Centre against raising fuel prices, saying the CPM was not ready for any “negotiations” on the issue.

He threatened agitation from the “Left and secular Opposition parties” if the government made fuel costlier.

“We will go to the streets if the government does not listen; we are totally opposed to any price rise,” Karat said. He clarified that the central committee did not discuss the matter of “withdrawing support” to the UPA government on the issue of price rise.

He demanded the resignation of Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia, claiming some 80 people had been killed in over 50 police firings during her tenure and condemning her “brutal” treatment of the agitating Gujjars.