Citing the indefinite blockade — by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress — and the “hostile situation,” Tata Motors today declared suspension of work and announced it was “evaluating alternate options” for manufacturing its Rs 1-lakh Nano car at “other company facilities.” And in what rattled the state government, it added: “A detailed plan to relocate the plant and machinery to an alternate site is under preparation.”

When contacted, CPM MP Mohammad Salim said: “The Tatas have decided to bring out the first Nanos from their Pantnagar or Pune factory. They have to do this because they will have to manufacture at least 1,500 cars every month from October so that they can keep their commitment of supplying adequate number of cars to showrooms and international exhibitions. As far as West Bengal is concerned, we are now trying to ensure that, at least, the company keeps Singur as the mother plant in future.”

Said Nirupam Sen, the state’s Industry Minister: “It’s a sad day for Bengal. The Opposition did not respond to our request. We never expected them to be so irresponsible.”

Tata Motors, after struggling hard to make up for lost time on account of a bad monsoon last year, nearly caught up with its deadline of an October-November launch by stepping up the pace of work. But a marked deterioration in the law and order situation and Mamata Banerjee’s indefinite blockade brought work to a standstill.

Said Left Front chairman Biman Bose after a brief meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee: “The Tata Motors decision is unfortunate. We will request the company to reconsider the decision.” Earlier, Bhattacharjee met Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and asked him to mediate between Mamata Banerjee and the state government. “We do not need any third intermediary,” he said.

In Singur, Mamata said: “It is an internal and technical decision of the company. I have nothing to say.” Earlier in the day, she had said she was keen to “find a solution.” Her colleague Partha Chatterjee shuttled thrice between Singur and Raj Bhavan.

DADA v DIDI

SOURAV GANGULY: “The Nano project will be a beginning of an era in Bengal which will revolutionalise the prospects of the state and future of youth… Let us support theTatas… If this project goes elsewhere, the state will become a dark spot.”

TRINAMOOL LEADER Dinesh Trivedi said: “He’s doing his duty as (brand ambassador for the Tatas) and is earning out of it. But the issue is very sensitive.”