The promise made by West Bengal's chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, that he would transform the industrial and investment landscape of the state seems to be blighted as soon as it was made. The destroyers of the promise are none other than Mr Bhattacharjee's comrades. The recent utterances of Mr M.K. Pandhe, the general secretary of the Centre for Indian Trade Unions and politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), can be taken as representative of those, who, by their inability to adjust to an altered reality, are working against Mr Bhattacharjee's dream. Mr Pandhe announced in New Delhi that 'we are ready for a debate on industrial revival in Bengal''. He might think, in his complete delusion, that he is making a grand concession but his statement only makes him look ridiculous. Two questions need to be asked of him. One, what is there to debate? And two, who does he want to debate with? The subject of industrialization in West Bengal has now passed the realms of debate and discussion. It is now a necessity for the very survival of the state. If Mr Pandhe cannot see this, all he needs to do is to take off his communist blinkers. An antiquated species, who believe in the flat theory and sit on the politburo of the CPI(M), might still hold that the time is ripe for a debate on industrial revival in West Bengal but for most people, whose lives are driven by common sense instead of some abstract theory, the time for debate is over. There is only time for action. The kind of debate Mr Pandhe has in mind is also clear from his statement. He said that there would be no compromise on labour laws. Thus Mr Pandhe has foreclosed discussion on a very crucial subject. This makes nonsense of his offer to extend a helping hand to Mr Bhattacharjee. Among the many things that plague West Bengal are work culture and the absence of accountability among unionized workers. The Citu has been at the forefront of irresponsible trade unionism. Mr Pandhe's statement can be read as a refusal to recognize these problems. His intransigence can only frighten away those who are thinking of investing in West Bengal. If Mr Bhattacharjee's promises inspire confidence among investors, Mr Pandhe's statement evinces the opposite of confidence. Given this contradiction, most investors would rather be safe than sorry; they would not like to run the risk of facing the consequences that could follow from Mr Pandhe's uncompromising attitude. Mr Bhattacharjee has recently spoken of West Bengal's image problem. From Mr Pandhe's pronouncements, he can have a better idea about the reasons for West Bengal's poor image among investors. The chief minister's comrades, his best friends, are his worst enemies. Very soon, nobody will write to him any more.