Mamata twister: will take rail charge in Kolkata only

The Trinamool chief said after taking charge,she would leave for Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas on a special train to visit the cyclone-affected areas.

On Monday,Banerjee spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence minister A K Antony,seeking the help of Army and BSF in relief operations in Bengal.

“How can I leave for Delhi when people in Bengal are in danger. The cyclone has devastated vast areas in West Bengal. Even Kolkata is hit,” Banerjee said at her home in Kalighat.

“The Border Security Force has been asked to cooperate with the state police to tackle the situation. I have also asked the Railways to provide shelter and relief to the victims,” she added.

“The CPM has no infrastructure to tackle such a situation. It has failed to provide relief to the suffering in Bengal. The Centre should see that the people get relief and if necessary,the Army should be pressed into service,” the Trinamool chief said.

Banerjee has asked her party leaders in the districts to provide relief to the affected people,especially in the two Zilla Parishads in South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore.

A temporary control room has also been set up at Banerjee’s home in Kalighat to monitor the situation across the state. District-wise reports of lives lost and property damaged were received throughout the day.

“Already,teams of our party workers have reached affected areas in East Midnapore and are trying to help the victims. We are also making arrangements for food,makeshift shelters and water for them,” Sisir Adhikary,the newly elected MP from Contai and a ministerial aspirant,said.

Quoting information available to her,the Trinamool chief said vast areas in South 24-Parganas,including Patharpatima,Sagar,Kulpi,Namkhana were severely hit by the cyclone.

While Banerjee has cancelled her Delhi trip,five Trinamool MPs who are scheduled to take oath as ministers on Tuesday have already reached the national.