One snub from Didi that Cong refuses to swallow

The bungalow was set up for the state irrigation department in the early 1970s. Indira Gandhi stayed there during the AICC session in Kolkata in 1972. And it was Jyoti Basu’s residence during the communist leader’s last years; his party never contemplated changing the name.

Mamata’s sudden decisions have often offendd the state Congress,but the high command so far has paid little attention and frequently overruled the West Bengal PCC rather than gone into a confrontation with Mamata. This time,as state Congress activists demonstrated outside Indira Bhavan and at other places in Kolkata,the high command did take up the cause. The AICC sent Shakeel Ahmed,in charge of West Bengal affairs,to Kolkata to decide a strategy.

Ahmed’s emergency meeting on Saturday was followed up with a letter from WBPCC president Pradip Bhattacharya. “We are supportive of the idea of establishing a Nazrul Academy,” Bhattacharya wrote. “In fact,we believe that such a Nazrul Academy should be established in each district of the state. We would propose that a cultural complex,Nazrul Sadan,be established… But there is no logic or justification in renaming Indira Bhavan for this.”

The state Congress has demanded that rather,an Indira Gandhi Research and Information Centre be set up at Indira Bhavan,for which the Centre “may be urged to provide funds”. The proposed Nazrul Academy,it has suggested,could be established in Churulia in Burdwan district,which is identified with the poet’s memory; the New Secretariat Building too could be named Nazrul Bhavan.

Mamata,meanwhile,has reportedly explained to former WBPCC president Manas Bhuniya,now a minister in her cabinet,that the nameplate declaring “Indira Bhavan” would not be removed. Only the house would be used for the library-museum,she has reportedly said.

Bhattacharya,however,said,“It is not merely a matter of removing a nameplate. Congressmen would not not like the house to be used for any other purpose. It can be used as an Indira museum instead,while tribute can be paid to Nazrul in other ways.”

In public,Mamata has ignored the demonstrations by Congress supporters. She appears not to mind a separation from the Congress,should it come to that; sources say that in close circles she has been vowing to eliminate the Congress from Bengal. Congress ministers could not help but notice that she did not observe Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary at Writers’ Buildings,something she has been doing for other personalities.

The fight over Indira Bhavan is turning out to be an outlet for all the bitterness between the two. A few Trinamool ministers have been engaged in a war of words with Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury,who has attacked Mamata over the Lokpal issue.

Again,Shakeel Ahmed has given WBPCC the go-ahead for a vigorous agitation against the distress sale of paddy. Adhir Chowdhury has already spearheaded an agitation in Murshidabad and it is now being spread out across the state. Ahmed has also okayed a central rally for January 4 at Esplanade to highlight the government’s failure to help paddy growers with a support price.

Asked about a possible coordination committee at Central and state levels for better management of relations,Ahmed said,“Consultations are on. It depends on the mutual interest of the leadership on both sides (in having) such a platform.”

The Congress high command is walking a tightrope after the landmark elections in which the alliance dislodged the Left. It knows it would be a setback to the Congress strategy if it were to complicate its chemistry with the Trinamool,yet it can ill afford to remain silent as the party is turned into a “signboard” in Bengal.

An early exercise undertaken by the Congress has already showed that workers at the grassroots are in favour of going it alone in the 2013 panchayat polls. Accounts from political quarters make it evident that the poll outcome in five states will be crucial in deciding the future of the relations between the two in Bengal. For now,they have settled for muscle flexing.