Blamed for Nandigram mess, now for poll debacle

On March 14 last year, 14 people died as they clashed with the police who tried to re-enter the area. CPI(M) insiders accused the party’s district committee led by Seth of putting pressure on the government to help the ousted party cadres to return. They also blamed the “recapture” of Nandigram in November-December 2007 on Seth.

Seth himself remains unfazed by all these charges. “After our supporters got back to their homes, I thought six months would be enough to make the people understand. But a section of the media and the opposition constantly tried to mislead the people of Nandigram. I am a party man and if the party thinks I should move out, I will,” Seth said.

Born in 1949 in Haldia, Seth joined the Students’ Federation of India while in college. He holds an MA and a law degree as well. Seth’s meteoric rise in the party coincided with the industrialization of Haldia, which was developed as a container port.

After college, Seth joined the CPI(M)’s labour wing CITU and has controlled the Haldia port and docks for the last 25 years. Seth, one of the most important fundraisers for the party, is said to be close to top leaders like Jyoti Basu and Biman Bose.

In 1982, Seth was elected to the assembly from Sutahata in East Midnapur. In the nineties, Jyoti Basu initiated the industrial development of Haldia, making Seth the CPI(M)’s pointsman. He lost the Tamluk parliamentary seat in 1996, but went on win it in 1988, 1999 and 2004.

Seth’s wife, Tamalika Ponda, rose to power along with her husband. She is now in her third consecutive term as chairman of the Haldia municipality, apart from being a district committee member.

“Seth strengthened the party in the district. He has a clean image. He is the man behind the industrialisation of Haldia,” said Ashok Guria, CPI(M) district committee member in East Midnapur.

In his affidavit to the Election Commission of India, Seth mentions about Rs 4.64 lakh worth of agricultural land in and around Haldia and non-agricultural land worth Rs 3.90 lakh, apart from a bank balance of Rs 1,300 in an account held with his wife, and a little over Rs 4,000 in savings.

But Trinamool Congress leader Sisir Adhikary accused Seth of minting money from corrupt deals. “Apart from making crores through corruption, his hands are red with the blood of the farmers,” said Adhikary.

In November 2007, the CBI busted a Haldia port racket in which Seth’s name figured.