Speaking to this newspaper, elusive Maoist eastern region head Koteswar Rao welcomed Ms Banerjee’s call for the withdrawal of Central forces from Lalgarh in West Bengal and said that “she is not against us”, the first time that the Maoists have openly supported Ms Banerjee.If Ms Banerjee was pushing for the withdrawal of forces, the Maoists called a bandh in Bengal and other adjacent states over the proposed meeting of the four chief ministers with the Union home minister at Writers’ Buildings in Kolkata on February 9.Speaking to this newspaper, CPI (Maoist) politburo member Koteswar Rao went on to “welcome” Ms Banerjee’s call for the withdrawal of forces from Maoist-dominated areas in Bengal. “Of course we welcome the move,” he said. Rao said that at this juncture the Maoists were “not against Mamata Banerjee” as she has been asking the Centre to withdraw forces, “which is similar to our demand”. He said that “even Mamata had expressed reservations over the February 9 meeting in Bengal”.The Union home minister has agreed to attend a meeting with the chief ministers of West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand on February 9 at Writers’ Buildings in Kolkata. Ms Banerjee had expressed her reservations over Mr Chidambaram’s decision to attend the meet since West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, her arch political rival, would also be a participant. Meanwhile, blending their voice with Ms Banerjee’s, the Maoists also opposed the Centre over the rise in prices of food grains and other essential commodities in the country. The Maoist leader said that while opposing Central policies they would also “continue their armed struggle” in the state. He added that “despite the presence of Central forces, the Maoists would only intensify their armed struggle”. However, the Maoists remained noncommittal on extending support to the Trinamul Congress during the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state.
Sanjay Basak