Left learns lesson, says bandh a hasty call

Kolkata: After the 12-hour state-wide strike failed to evoke much response, Left Front chairman Biman Bose admitted it was “a hasty decision”.

“We thought people would understand the reason behind the strike. The thought we had was not right; it was wrong. We have understood this. We will take lessons from it in the future. We will discuss it at the party meetings,” Mr Bose told reporters.

Leader of 18 Left Front parties took out a rally from Moulali to Mullick Bazar in support of the bandh, even as government and private buses could be seen plying on the streets with most shops and markets functioning without disruption.

He, however, sought to downplay the effect, claiming party workers did not get enough time to prepare. “It was a hasty decision to call the strike as our workers did not get the time to campaign. In some places, the administration and Trinamul Congress activists prevented our workers from campaign for the strike. It became difficult for us to reach out to the people in the short span of time and people have misunderstood us,” Mr Bose said.

The ruling TMC, however, said that Left Front failed to read the pulse of the people. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said people have rejected the Left’s bandh call. “I do not support bandh culture as I am always constructive in my approach.” TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said people have called a “bandh” to the bandh culture of the Left Front.

Describing the Left Front’s decision to call a bandh as a “knee-jerk reaction”, state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said, “It was totally a wrong decision. However, the Left leadership has admitted that it was a mistake. This is good gesture and there is nothing wrong in that.”