The CPI(M) claimed that the target of Sunday's landmine blast at Salboni in West Midnapur district was West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee to stop development initiatives.

In a resolution adopted at the party's state committee meeting which began here today, the CPI(M) said, "the aim of the landmine blast was to assassinate Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee to derail the state government's development initiatives."

Stating that it was surprising that opposition parties had not condemned the blast, it said, "the attempt to kill the chief minister was part of a conspiracy to create anarchy in the state by the so-called reactionary 'mahajot' (grand alliance)."

It claimed that the Maoists with the help of opposition parties were carrying out secret killings, blasts and other terror activities in an all-out attack against the Left Front government and the CPI(M).

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Bannerjee demanded a probe by the Centre into the attack. She also challenged the state government and said that "if the Left Front Government had 'guts' it should ban the CPI(M)."