Bhattacharjee, Mamata

Calcutta, July 10: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee held out a hand of friendship to Trinamul on Nandigram today but threw a punch soon after by accusing it of working with Maoists.

The chief minister’s renewed appeal for a dialogue to bring about “complete normality” was followed by his remarks that Trinamul had “connections” with the rebels.

“The situation has improved a lot in Nandigram. Still, political dialogues are necessary to restore complete normality. That is why I am requesting the Trinamul Congress and other Opposition parties to initiate talks without delay. Mere policing will not help much at this juncture,” the chief minister said in the Assembly.

He was responding to a question from Congress legislature party chief Manas Bhuniya on the strategy to tackle the violence that has erupted in the wake of Trinamul’s victory in the East Midnapore zilla parishad.

“We have initiated dialogues at the grassroots (local level) with Trinamul and other parties in Nandigram. Now I want to start the process at the district and state levels,” Bhattacharjee said, without naming Mamata Banerjee.

Trinamul rejected the offer. “You invite the Opposition only when the government is in trouble. Why didn’t you initiate talks with us before things flared up?” Ashok Deb, the party’s chief whip, asked.

On his charge of Trinamul’s links with the rebels, Bhattacharjee said: “I am saying this with all responsibility that Trinamul has connections with the Maoists and I strongly assert that. The Trinamul-backed Bhoomi Uchchhed Pratirodh Committee in Nandigram is still working in tandem with the Maoists and their affiliate, Matangini Hazra Bahini, to spread violence.”

The remarks enraged Trinamul members, who walked out of the House shouting slogans. The chief minister appeared unmoved, saying the members had gone out “after owning responsibility for the crime they had committed”.

Later, Mamata also ruled out talks, saying the Opposition should have been engaged before the March 14 firing last year that killed 14 people.