End CPM's 'misrule' in Bengal: Rahul

Assembly Elections 2011 : Congress targets Left govt in West Bengal

Whether in industry, agriculture, employment or education, West Bengal’s performance is “pathetic” compared to states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, he said.

Addressing a string of election rallies across north Bengal where elections are scheduled for April 18 in the first leg of the six-phase election, he said, “Congress and Trinamool are fighting together in this election and will give a government that will usher in development to West Bengal.”

Rahul regretted that while a government should be for ‘aam admi’ and geared to their welfare only, here the government’s first priority is its own organisation and cadre and then the people of the state. He accused the CPM of ‘grabbing’ central funds meant for the upliftment of the poor.

He alleged that the UPA government had allocated crores of rupees to the state under different schemes, including NREGA, but there was no proper utilisation of the funds and CPM members and the cadre were the ultimate beneficiaries.

“The ideology of the communists, which has become obsolete in the rest of the world, existed here for 34 years. This exists for CPM. This is not for you,” he said.

According to Rahul, the Centre has waived Rs 70,000 crore worth of debts of farmers and made available land to tribals through the Tribal Act. He said the government would shortly introduce a food security bill in Parliament to see that no one in the country suffers from poverty and hunger.

In the Naxalbari meeting, a large number of supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha were present with their party flags to cheer the leader. The GJM has announced its unilateral support to the Trinamool-Congress alliance.

He was scheduled to address another meeting at Farakka in Murshidabad district, but that was cancelled due to his delay in arrival in the district owing to inclement weather in Jalpaiguri.