In his inaugural speech at the Panchayati Raj Conference in Kolkata, Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke at length about the importance of three-tier panchayat system. “Development is not possible through government personnel. The only way to straighten democracy is to strengthen the panchayat system,” he added. This was a covert criticism of the chief minister’s decision to give more power to the bureaucrats curtailing the rights of the democratically-elected representatives of the panchayat.
State Congress MPs Adhir Chaudhury and Deepa Das Munshi, however, did not resort to such tacit criticism. Mr Chaudhury warned that if the Trinamul Congress pulled out of the UPA then it would be its loss and not that of the Congress.
“The CPI(M) used to threaten Congress but when they withdrew support to the UPA, they were totally rejected by the people. No one should therefore dish out threats to the Congress otherwise there will be no trace (of that party),” he added.
Mr Chaudhury claimed that the Congress was not at the mercy of any party. Echoing his sentiments, Ms Das Munshi said that those who wanted to reduce the Congress to a signboard would be in for a surprise in the panchayat polls.
Defending the Congress workers’ right to launch a movement if the state government failed to implement 100 days work programme, Mr Chowdhury said if it made them the CPI(M)’s dalal then so be it.
The auditorium was full to its capacity and there were thousands of workers outside.
Buoyed by the huge turnout, the AICC general secretary and incharge of Bengal, Shakeel Ahmed said that it was proof of the Congress’ popularity in the state.