Terming the recent poll victory a proof of people’s confidence in Mamata Banerjee and the Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance, Union Finance Minister and West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) chief Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said a report had been sought from Deepa Dasmunsi and other district leaders regarding the Congress’s unexpected defeat in Goalpokhor.

“It is a proof that people have confidence in Mamata Banerjee and the Congress-Trinamool alliance. There is an anti-Left wave blowing in Bengal,” said Mukherjee at the state Congress headquarters in Bidhan Bhawan. “The result in Goalpokhor is unfortunate. I had a talk with Deepa Dasmunsi last night. We have sought a report from the district leaders and observers there.” He added that the poor performance of the party in Kalchini, where it stood fourth, would also be analysed.

Asked why the Congress failed to capitalise on anti-incumbency like the Trinamool did, Mukherjee said, “It is a fact I have to regret. It is because of organisational weakness.”

The WBPCC chief was all praise for Mamata, as her party won all the seven seats it contested. He singled out Belgachia East constituency and Rajgunj, where the Trinamool registered an impressive performance.

On joint operations by security forces in Lalgarh, he said the operations would continue based on discussions between the state and the Centre. The Minister maintained the Centre was deeply concerned about price hike of essential commodities. “In the last five years prices of rice, edible oil and pulses have increased. Procurement prices for these items have also increased significantly. The common people are badly hit,” he said. “We have asked the state to strengthen the public distribution system. There is a deficit of edible oil and pulses in the country. We have asked states to import these, with zero import duty. We have told the state governments that below poverty line people should get ration.”