Tamluk, Aug. 9: The CRPF will not be redeployed in Nandigram as state police were able enough to defuse tension, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee told an all-party meeting today.

The Trinamul Congress and the SUCI, however, stayed away from what would have been the first all-party discussion on Nandigram chaired by the chief minister.

The meeting had been called after two CPM local leaders were murdered in Nandigram on Wednesday and Thursday.

Bhattacharjee didn’t brief the media after the hour-long talks, but home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti, who was present, said: “Some parties like the Congress, RSP and the Forward Bloc had demanded redeployment of the CRPF but the chief minister said it was not needed.”

CPM MP Lakshman Seth said Bhattacharjee felt the “situation did not warrant” the central force’s presence. “The chief minister said the CRPF had been deployed in Nandigram last time because of the circumstances that were beyond the state government’s control,” Seth said.

“But the situation has changed and Buddhadebbabu does not advocate redeployment of the central force. He said state police were enough to tackle law-and-order problems.”

Seth himself had run into trouble with the CRPF during the panchayat polls in May. The Tamluk MP was shown on television telling CRPF deputy inspector-general Alok Raj over the phone to stay put in his camp and not venture out for poll duty.

Chakrabarti said the chief minister wanted prohibitory orders clamped in Nandigram to stop meetings and processions. But a final decision had not been taken yet.

One of the CPM leader’s who died was shot in the chest while walking in a procession.

A leader who was present at the meeting said Bhattacharjee wanted processions and meetings to be stopped for now to help the district administration restore normality in the area.

“At this juncture, it would be better not to organise meetings and rallies in Nandigram as these may escalate tension. I would like to request all political parties not to go there for such activities for now. Please help the police maintain law and order,” the leader quoted Bhattacharjee as saying.

But, at a rally near Haldia, Trinamul chief Mamata Banerjee asked: “Who is he to make such an appeal?”